Canadian Muslims on edge after attacks on mosques during Ramadan

Community says Ramadan brings increased attention and threats to worshipers

Islamic Society of Markham centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. photo: Islamic Society of Markham

Muslim communities across Canada are on edge after a series of attacks at mosques during Ramadan.

Last week, a man entered a mosque in Markham, Ontario - a suburb of Toronto - and began to shout threats and racial slurs at worshippers as he tore apart a Quran.

He then proceeded to exit the mosque, get in a vehicle and attempt to run over a worshipper, the Islamic Society of Markham said in a statement.

York Regional Police have arrested Sharan Karunakaran, 28, and charged him with making threats, assault with a weapon and dangerous driving.

Canada’s newly appointed special representative on combating Islamophobia visited the mosque on Monday and met members of the local community.

“Sadly, the attack at the Markham mosque is not an isolated incident,” Amira Elghawaby said on twitter.

“It comes after a number of recent hate-motivated attacks and leaves communities uneasy and fearful for their loved ones who frequent places of worship.”

Days after the Markham incident, a man drove up to another mosque in Markham, blocked the entrance and shouted derogatory comments at worshippers.

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York Regional Police arrested Mohssen Bayani, 47, on April 10 on several charges of assault and one count of mischief.

In Montreal, police are investigating a possible hate crime after a man used a rock to break into Al-Omah Al-Islamiah mosque on Sunday.

“It is an unfortunate reality that as much as we're trying to fight and stand up against hate and Islamophobia, we have witnessed especially during the month of Ramadan, spreading, almost like fire incidents of Islamophobia,” Samer Majzoub, president of the Canadian Muslim Forum, told The National.

The Muslim community has increasingly become the target of prejudice during Ramadan.

“Muslims are more visible, Muslims are going to the mosque more often to pray, Muslims are congregating in one place and so people who harbour nefarious intentions towards the Muslim communities tend to see this as a perfect opportunity to try to harm us,” Stephen Brown, chief executive of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, told The National.

Canada has seen a rise in violence against Muslims in recent years, punctuated by the Quebec City mosque shooting of 2017, when a man entered the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City and killed six worshippers and injured five others.

A report by Statistics Canada revealed that hate crimes against Muslims increased by 71 per cent in 2021.