Continue to build bridges, continue to reach out, do not be silent.
That is how the president of the Muslim Society of Guelph, Muhammed Sayyed, encouraged the broader community to respond to Muslims following Sunday night’s shooting at Le Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec in Sainte-Foy, in Québec City, in which Muslim-Canadians were killed and injured during evening prayers.
Sayyed said on Monday that the society is planning a vigil for Monday evening, 6:30 p.m. at the local Mosque, 286 Water Street, west of Edinburgh Road. The entire community is welcome. The vigil will happen both indoors and outdoors.
Sayyed said the same prayers that were being offered at the Québec City mosque at the time of the attack will be offered at the vigil, at the same time of evening when the horrific incident took place. Six people were killed, and as many as 19 others were wounded, five of them critically.
“We will be holding the vigil at the same time, and we are requesting Guelph to come out and show their support, and show that people should not feel fearful in Guelph,” Sayyed said.
On Monday, the City of Guelph lowered its flags to half-mast to honour the victims of the shooting.
“In Guelph today, we are grieving with the people of Sainte-Foy, and with Muslim communities across Canada who have been shaken by this cowardly act of hatred,” Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie said in a statement. “We are praying for the victims and their families. We stand together with our Muslim neighbours, and we vow to stand up to hatred and intolerance wherever we find it.”
In the statement from the city, Guelph CAO Derrick Thomson called the shooting “a senseless attack on innocent people during a moment of prayer.”
Condolences and prayers from the city were extended to the people of Le Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec.
Sayyed said he had never questioned the safety and security of the Muslims of Guelph until news broke Sunday night about the Québec City mosque. Some weeks back, his son asked him if there was such a thing as “Islamophobia,” to which he answered in the negative.
“But now I am rethinking about it,” he said.
He added that when the Muslim Student Association at the University of Guelph held its Islamic Awareness Week in January, “really nasty comments” about Muslims were posted on social media.
“Now, this very serious thing has happened too close to home, in our backyard, not in some distant part of the world,” he added. “So, yes, it does make me nervous.”
He indicated there have been threatening messages sent to the Muslim Society in recent times, and in light of Sunday’s incident local security measures will be reviewed.
“The biggest thing the community could do is continue to build bridges,” he added. “Our response to this act should be to continue to reach out, build bridges, and have the dialogue. The community should not be silent at all. It should be coming out and speaking out.”
He added that there has been a “tremendous amount” of support from the community in the immediate aftermath of the incident, particularly from local political representatives and other officials and dignitaries.
