London, Ont., Muslim community renews calls for action in wake of alleged hate-motivated arson
Groups want stronger anti-hate legislation and improved education on anti-Palestinian racism
As police continue investigating a possible hate-motivated arson attack at a Muslim family's house in London, Ont., the community is calling on politicians to turn their words of support into action in fighting Islamophobia.
At a news conference on Monday, the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) emphasized the importance of governments strengthening anti-hate legislation and improving education against anti-Palestinian racism in schools.
"Our leaders must keep their words. They promised us change after June 2021 [truck attack on the Afzaal family]. "They came to our communities, they gave us many words and we are beyond that now. We need concrete actions," said Nusaiba Al-Azem, legal director at NCCM.
On Saturday night, the front porch of a house in northwest London was set on fire. London police said a preliminary investigation found that the fire appeared to have been set deliberately and the suspect fled the scene. The fire was quickly extinguished, resulting in no injuries.
The same male suspect was at that home an hour earlier and stole lawn signs calling for Palestinian human rights, officials say. Police have received at least four reports specific to that address since May, involving theft and property damage, and they believe the incidents are related.
"At this point we are treating it as a possible hate-motivated incident," said Det-Insp. Alex Krygsman on Sunday.
NCCM said the family previously had their pro-Palestinian lawn signs damaged and vandalized, and received a threatening letter last week, warning them to stop displaying such signs.
Politicians weigh in
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed support for the family, while denouncing Islamophobia and its dangers in a post on X, formerly Twitter, yesterday. Other politicians weighing in included the Ontario NDP., and London Liberal MPs Peter Fragiskatos and Arielle Kayabaga.
My heart goes out to the Muslim family in London whose home was attacked last night in an act of hate. <br><br>Canadians have seen how dangerous and ugly Islamophobia is. We have to keep confronting it—wherever and whenever we see it.
—@JustinTrudeauHowever, those words of support and sympathy don't alleviate the fears members of the Muslim community are currently feeling, said Nawaz Tahir of HIKMA Public Affairs Council. He believes elected officials need to choose their words carefully and not stereotype groups advocating for Palestinians or fighting against Islamophobia.
"It's terrifying but perhaps not unexpected in the context of what we're seeing at a high level in society," he said. "Hate is developed by many factors, including the statements of certain elected officials and an allowance of society to tolerate microaggressions that get escalated."
Tahir said governments of all levels need to implement the 60 recommendations NCCM brought forth three years ago to combat hate and Islamophobia across the country.
The Muslim community in London saw the largest increase in reported hate crimes last year, up 263 per cent since 2022.
"Before, the message was that we cannot even walk on the streets without feeling a sense of fear, and now the message is saying we're not even safe in our homes," said Abd Alfatah Twakkal, chair of the London Council of Imams.
"As Canadians we have to say 'No, we don't accept this for ourselves and we don't accept this for others.' Any form of hatred and discrimination is a plague on our society and it needs to be addressed as such on all levels."
The male suspect — still at large — is described to be between 30 to 50 years of age, with a medium/heavy build. He was wearing grey shoes, dark pants, a light grey zip-up sweater with vertical black accents on the sides under the arms, a dark-coloured toque, and a medical mask.
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