Canadians are calling for Islamophobia to be taken more seriously after an imam was allegedly assaulted during an early morning prayer service at a Toronto mosque on Monday morning.
The Islamic Foundation of Toronto, located in Scarborough, said in a Tweeter that an intruder had disrupted the dawn prayer when he entered the mosque and assaulted the imam before “two brave worshipers quickly restrained him and called 911”.
The Foundation later issued a statement on Twitter condemning the attack and encouraging police to “keep all avenues of investigation open”, including potential hateful motivation.
“Our hearts are deeply troubled and we know that many members of our community are deeply concerned following an incident this morning,” the official statement read. Lily.
“At this time, our priority is to ensure the safety of all worshippers,” they added.
The letter also urged community members not to speculate on the potential motivation “until the investigation is complete.”
Toronto police are investigating the matter and have not yet charged the individual.
Politicians, community members react
The National Council of Canadian Muslims expressed concern about the incident soon after on Twitter.
“We are aware this morning of a terrifying attack during Fajr prayers this morning at the IFT Mosque in Scarborough, Toronto. We will report more as new information becomes available,” the tweet wrote. . Lily.
The Council of Imams of Canada (CCI) also released a public statement condemning the attack and announcing its solidarity with all imams and members of the IFT.
The council recognized the attacked imam as Sheikh Yusuf Badat and said that although he is in good spirits, he is “very traumatized with his congregation’s renewed concern for their safety”.
“The bravery of the worshipers in preventing this horrible incident from escalating is truly remarkable and ICC strongly encourages all worshipers to continue their heightened vigilance,” said the statement read further.
Several politicians also expressed concern over the incident on Twitter, including Mayor John Tory who said “places of worship should always be safe places”.
“I am concerned about the incident this morning as reported by @iftliveand relieved to hear that no one was hurt,” his tweet read.
MP and Canadian Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino also denounced Islamophobia on Twitter and said “Canadians of all faiths should feel safe practicing their religion.”
“My thoughts are with the congregation at this difficult time. We must speak out against Islamophobia whenever it rears its ugly head,” he added. Tweeter Lily.
Community members react
The altercation took place at a mosque on Nugget Avenue, on the east side of Markham Road and Sheppard Avenue in Scarborough.
According to the police, the investigation remains active.
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