AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Peel Regional Police have launched an investigation into an Islamophobic incident in Mississauga, Canada, after an Islamic center was vandalized. Surveillance footage shows a man using his skateboard to smash the glass doors at the entrance of the center.
According to Minhaj Qureshi, the center’s president, the suspect had passed by the building several times before the attack and had even greeted some community members. He described the incident as “a hate crime and an act of Islamophobia,” adding that the attack has left the Muslim community feeling unsafe. He noted a decline in the number of children attending Quran classes and evening schools since the incident.
Police confirmed that the case is being handled by the Hate Crime Unit because an Islamic institution was targeted. A police spokesperson explained that identifying suspects from the footage is challenging and requires extensive review. The spokesperson added that the current charge is mischief motivated by hate, though further charges may follow depending on the investigation’s findings.
Authorities also stated that while hate-motivated crimes are on the rise in the region, community cooperation and reporting of such incidents to the police have also increased.
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