The City of New Westminster has proclaimed Jan. 29 as a Day of Remembrance and Action on Islamophobia.
The city’s proclamation states that on Jan. 29, 2017, a white gunman entered the Islamic Cultural Centre mosque in Quebec City and opened fire on dozens of Muslim worshippers, killing Ibrahima Barry, Mamadou Tanou Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Aboubaker Thabti, Abdelkrim Hassane and Azzedine Sofiane and injuring 19 other people. New Westminster has joined with Canadian cities, including Vancouver, Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, Hamilton and Windsor, in designating Jan. 29, as a Day of Remembrance and Action on Islamophobia.
“Muslim communities across Canada were, and continue to be, affected by this and other acts of hate, racism, white supremacy and Islamophobia,” states the proclamation.
Imtiaz Popat, co-founder of the Coalition Against Bigotry-Pacific and the Community Based Anti-Hate Task Force, said it’s important that city proclaim Jan. 29 as a Day of Remembrance and Action because Islamophobia is on the rise.
“Since that day in Quebec City, we saw what happened in Ontario, when a family was walking in a park, and they were just killed. And you know, London is not that different from New Westminster,” he told council. “So, it can happen anytime, and I think it's really important that this council also joins this campaign to mark this date in January.”
In June 2021, a driver in a pickup truck ran over a family as they were out for a walk near their home in London, Ont., killing Salman Afzaal, his wife Madiha Salman, their 15-year-old daughter Yumna, and Salman Afzaal's 74-year-old mother Talat. The couple’s nine-year-old son Fayez was seriously injured.
“I think our council and our city is appreciative of you raising this important issue,” Coun. Ruby Campbell told Popat.
Popat said it’s really important to get the message out that this is an issue in New Westminster. Asked what’s happening with the local Islamic community, he said there is a small Islamic centre in New Westminster, and fundraising is underway to build a proper mosque in the city.
“It's a growing community,” he said.
