At 8:40 p.m. (local time) this Sunday, a vehicle being driven by a 20-year-old man climbed onto a sidewalk where five members of a Muslim family were walking and ran over them.
The Canadian Police reported this Monday of a “premeditated” attack that killed four members of a Muslim family that occurred in the Canadian city of London, located in the province of Ontario.
At 8:40 p.m. (local time) this Sunday, a vehicle being driven by a 20-year-old man climbed onto a sidewalk where five members of this family were walking and ran over them. A nine-year-old boy is the only survivor, who is in a hospital with serious injuries, and the fatalities are two women, 74 and 44 years old, a 46-year-old man and a 15-year-old adolescent.
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The authorities have detailed that the investigators have considered “that this event was an intentional act and the victims were attacked due to their Islamic faith.”
“There is evidence that this was a planned, premeditated act, motivated by hate,” they added.
They have also indicated that Canadian citizen Nathaniel Veltman, the alleged perpetrator, has been charged with four counts of murder in the first degree and one count of attempted murder. This Monday, the accused has appeared in court.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been “horrified” by the event and has conveyed his support to those affected by what he described as “an act of hatred.”
“We are also here for the child who is still in the hospital,” he said through his account on the social network Twitter.
“To the Muslim community of London and the Muslims of the country, know that we are with you. Islamophobia has no place in any of our communities. This hate is insidious and despicable – and it must stop,” he stressed.
Trudeau has further confirmed that he has spoken with the Mayor of London, Ed Holder, about the “heinous attack”.
“I have let him know that we will continue to use all the tools we have to combat Islamophobia and that we will be there for those who are in mourning,” he added.
For his part, Holder has published a statement in which he stressed that “London’s hearts are broken.”
“We are in mourning for the family, three generations of which have died,” he said, before adding that he “prayed” for the recovery of the injured child.
“I have ordered the flags in London City Hall to fly at half-mast for three days of mourning,” he said while confirming a meeting with leaders of the local Muslim community to convey his “deep sadness”.
“I want each of them to know that ours is a safe community. They should feel safe in London, Ontario. This is their home as much as mine,” argued Holder, who spoke of “mass murder against Muslims and citizens of London.”
“This unspeakable act of hatred, this act of Islamophobia, must be followed by acts of compassion, acts of kindness, acts of empathy, acts of solidarity, justice and, above all, love,” stressed the Mayor of London.
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For his, Munir el Kassem, imam at the Islamic Center of Southwest Ontario, has stressed in statements to the Canadian television station CBC that people should not “be alienated and live in fear.” “We must confront hatred on the educational, political and social fronts,” he explained.
Image Credit: Reuters