Anti-Muslim vandals strike Alberta town
National Council of Canadian Muslims notes recent rise in anti-Islam sentiment
By Andrea Huncar, CBC News
September 16, 2014
Members of Fort Saskatchewan’s Muslim community are once again cleaning up after a home that they use for prayer was vandalized with anti-Islam insults twice in the past week.
Waseem Akhtar, who lives in the home, awoke to the sounds of something striking the side of the building early Monday morning…
. . .
Muslim organizations in Canada say they’ve noticed a spike in reports of anti-Islam sentiment in recent weeks.
Last week, a Calgary imam claimed he was was struck by a vehicle while walking to Friday prayer. He says the woman who was driving the vehicle shouted ethnic slurs and called him a terrorist
Amy Awad, human rights coordinator for the National Council of Canadian Muslims, says the recent spike in incidents is likely due to increased attention on ISIS militants in Iraq.
“The more people see negative stories about people who appear to be Muslim, the more suspicious they might become,” she said.
“And that can fuel hatred…and hate incidents like these ones.”
Fort Saskatchewan RCMP say they are investigating the vandalism to Akhtar’s home.