Ahmed*, a 14-year-old boy, was walking home with his family after night prayers at the Toronto Islamic Centre in mid-March when a man suddenly hurled racist insults, grabbed him by the collar, and pushed him violently. The attack, which occurred shortly after midnight during Ramadan, left Ahmed traumatized and unable to sleep, while his two-year-old sister burst into tears.

Although the incident made local headlines and an arrest was reportedly made, community members and experts question whether such attacks are being taken seriously enough. Amira Elghawaby, Canada's former special representative on combating Islamophobia, warned of a “perfect storm” as anti-immigrant sentiment merges with anti-Muslim racism, leaving the community vulnerable.

Canada has seen several deadly anti-Muslim attacks in the past decade, including the 2017 Quebec City mosque shooting that killed six and the 2021 London, Ontario, vehicle attack that killed four members of a Muslim family. The rise in anti-immigrant rhetoric, fueled by housing and cost-of-living crises, has exacerbated tensions, with polls showing a majority of Canadians now believe immigration levels are too high.

During the attack, the suspect allegedly shouted, “Did the Liberals bring you here?”—a reference to the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory. Fahad Ahmad, a criminology professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, argued that Muslims are often portrayed as “inherently violent” and “outside the polity,” leading to a lower priority being given to anti-Muslim violence compared to anti-Semitism.

The Canadian government launched a $191 million Action Plan on Combatting Hate, but recently closed the offices of the Islamophobia and anti-Semitism envoys, replacing them with an advisory council. The move drew criticism from Muslim advocacy groups. Meanwhile, the Toronto Islamic Centre has implemented a buddy system to protect worshippers, as the community faces a wave of threats.

Source: www.aljazeera.com