AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Thursday, January 29, 2026, marks the ninth anniversary of the armed attack on the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City, an incident in which a gunman entered the mosque minutes after evening prayers and opened fire on worshippers, killing six people and seriously wounding five others.
During the attack, those inside the mosque, including children, tried to flee amid scenes of fear and chaos. Several of the victims were among those who attempted to stop the assailant. The incident is regarded as one of the deadliest acts of hate- and Islamophobia-motivated violence in Canadian history.
In 2023, at the initiative of then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the Canadian government designated January 29 as the “National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia.”
To mark the anniversary, the Kingston Islamic Association, Muslim organizations, and Queen’s University’s group “Muslim Global Perspectives,” together with their supporters, took part in the “Green Square” campaign during the week leading up to January 29. According to Queen’s University’s Muslim Network for Convergence, the green square symbolizes the green carpets of the Quebec mosque, where the victims performed their final prayers, and represents their place in paradise.
Mona Rahman, a co-coordinator of the network, stated that in-person programs will be more limited this year, but the City of Kingston will illuminate City Hall in green to mark the national day. She added that a virtual memorial ceremony will also be held from 12:00 to 13:00.
Organizers said the initiatives aim to keep the memory of the victims alive, express solidarity with the survivors, and reaffirm a collective stand against Islamophobia and hate-based violence.
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