Muslim council says shots were fired at Winnipeg mosque with people inside
The Rahma Islamic Centre in Winnipeg was targeted by gunfire and vandalism, sparking concerns about rising Islamophobia in Canada. Local police are investigating the incidents, which occurred while people were inside the mosque.
Why it matters
The attack highlights ongoing issues regarding hate crimes and the safety of religious minority communities in Canada.
"We often believe that incidents like this will not happen to us," Feisal Adem, the director and imam at Rahma Islamic Centre, said during a Thursday evening news conference at the Watt Street mosque.
He became emotional as he spoke about "the frightening reality" that major incidents of Islamophobia — such as the deadly 2017 attack on a mosque in Quebec City and the 2021 truck attack that killed four members of a Muslim family in London, Ont. — can happen in Winnipeg, too.
"The peace and sense of security that our members once felt have been deeply shaken by this incident."
In the latest in a string of acts of violence targeting Muslims in Canada, two people drove by and fired shots at the northeast Winnipeg mosque Wednesday night, community leaders said at a news conference Thursday.
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