'There are lots of fears': Lethbridge Muslim Association holds vigil to honour family killed in Ontario attack
The tragic deaths of four members of a Muslim family in London, Ont. has sent shockwaves and a sense of grief across the nation.
The Lethbridge Muslim Association (LMA) held a vigil Monday to honour the Afzaal family after Nathaniel Veltman, 20, allegedly targeted them because of their Islamic faith.
Salman Afzaal, 46, his wife, Madiha, 44, their 15-year-old daughter Yumna, and Salman's 74-year-old mother were killed in the attack.
Nine-year-old Fayez was the lone-survivor.
"There is no reason for people to die because of their religion. Especially in Canada," said Lethbridge Muslim Association president Abdelbasat Aborawi.
"Our people are a little bit scared. There are lots of fears that this might happen in Lethbridge too, so I wanted them to feel that there are lots of people supporting us."
Notable figures including Mayor Chris Spearman, MP Rachel Harder, Lethbridge Police Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh and University of Lethbridge president Mike Mahon attended the event and addressed the crowd, denouncing Islamophobia and expressing condolences to the Muslim community.
LMA members say these types of gatherings after targeted, anti-Muslim attacks have become far too frequent.
"The ladies who wear a niqab, who wear a hijab, we were getting concern from the community as to whether they are safe or not, to be out there by themselves, and would they be able to walk freely, would they be able to walk safely while they're out alone?" said LMA secretary Saddam Khanzada.
Aborawi echoed a similar message, saying these types of incidents can strip away the sense of security generally felt by Muslims nationwide.
“I have three girls and my wife, they all wear hijabs, and they have never been subject to discrimination or harassment. But, I do hear from my own community people that they are scared to go for a walk," he said.
Imam Zubair Sidyot believes the root of Islamophobia and racist beliefs boils down to a lack of education, the acceptance of false information and certain narratives adopted by some political leaders from across North America.
"I would like to think that it's not prevalent in Canada and I would like to think that it's not something that is t such a large scale, but it's definitely there and it's something that we really need to address," he said.
Sidyot hopes people will take the time to learn more about other cultures by going directly to the source for information.
"Our mosques are open, our communities are open, myself as the Imam and many of the Imams across Alberta, across Saskatchewan, across Canada, their doors are open, you can go any time, you can talk to them."
Despite Monday's high of 36 C, the large, socially distanced crowd sat outside listening to a wide range of guest speakers highlight the dangers of Islamophobia and racism while calling for an end to these types of violent attacks.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.