Speakers denounce anti-Muslim hate at vigil for family killed in attack

Fourteen-year-old Hateem Aminwas determined toattendthe outdoorvigil in London, Ont., to honour her15-year old friendYumna Afzaal and threefamily members who were run down and killed by a truck Sunday eveningin what police say was a hate-motivated attack.

"I want to support her. Shedied because of her faith, because ofher colour," Hateen said. "And I am also of her faith, of her colour. And I would like to show her that I'm so strong."

Gripping a sign that read: "She was our friend," Hateem was one of the thousands whoblocked off part of Oxford Street a main London thoroughfare on a hot Tuesdayevening to gather outsidethe London Muslim Mosque. They were joined bycommunity, religious and political leaders, all there to show support forthe Muslim community andcall for action againstIslamophobia and anti-Muslim hate.

"I'm so happy that this many people care about her and so many people are willing to share her story," Hateemsaid. "And I just want the world to know why she died."

According to police, Yumna, along with her father Salman Afzaal, 46, his wife Madiha Salman, 44, and Salman's mother, Talat Afzaal, 74,were out for a walk when they were mowed down by a truck killedin a hit and run attack, which police said specifically targetedthe Muslim family.

Yumna's nine-year-old brother Fayez survived.

Muslims say they feel unsafe

To mark their tragic deaths, the crowd observed a moment of silence at 8:40 p.m., the same time in theeveningthe family was attacked.

The deaths haveshocked this southwestern Ontario universitycityof a little over 400,000 people, where more than 30,000 Muslims live.Last year, the city, a hub for manufacturing,technologyand medical research, recordedfour murders in total.

While the vigil was in part a time to grieve the loss of the family, it also served as a reminder of how unsafe many Muslimsfeel in the community.

WATCH | Thousands gather in London, Ont., to honourfamily killed in attack:

'We can't keep losing our family,' London, Ont., vigil hears

3 years ago

Duration 3:12

Thousands gathered outside a London, Ont., mosque on Tuesday night to show support for the city's Muslim community and honour the lives of four family members who were killed on Sunday in what police said was a premeditated attack because of their faith.

Nusaiba Al-Azem,second vice-chair of the London Muslim Mosque, said she's walked along the street where thefamily was struck down.

"I've walked that trail that our London family walked on Sunday and never got to finish," Al-Azem told those gathered."And just like many of my friends and family have expressed to each other and on social media, it's not a matter that it could have been me. It was one of us."

The sombre event drew people from all different communities, including many non-Muslims who held up signs that read: "We stand with our London family" and "Diversity is our strength."

Rania Lawendy, acouncil member of the Muslim Association of Canada, who has consoledstudents at the London Islamic School, where Yumnaonceattended, handed out purple and green ribbons to members of the crowd.

The purple represented Yumna's favourite colour. And the green is part of the Green Square Campaign,which takes place every year to represent the green carpets of the Quebec City mosque, where, in 2017 the victimsof another deadly attackdirected at Muslims, last stood to pray. The 2017 shootingleftsix dead and five injured.

Family and friends of the deceased,along with the first responders who tried to save the family after they were attacked, were invited to be the first to tie their ribbons to the mosque fence.

"It's wonderful to see this type of support," Lawendy said about the thousands who had come out to support the vigil.

"Itdoes warm my heart but I'd like to see more people, not just at a vigil.I'd like to see more people calling out Islamophobia,callingout any typeof hate rhetoric."

WATCH:'Islamophobia is real,' Trudeau tells London, Ont., vigil:

'Islamaphobia is real,' Trudeau tells London, Ont., vigil

3 years ago

Duration 3:05

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addresses a crowd in London, Ont., Tuesday evening at a vigil in honour of the Muslim family killed in what police say was a premeditated attack.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wasone of the many political leaders of all political stripes who came to London to speak at the vigil. Trudeausaid there were no words to ease the grief of having three generations killedwhile they were out walking in their neighbourhood.

He said Canadians make a pact to look out for each other, but for the Muslim community, "that pact has been broken too many times."

Earlier in the day, a steady stream of peoplemade their way to the scene of the attack, a mostly sparse intersectionthat has since been turned into amemorial for the family,where bouquetsof flowers and teddy bears adorn the ground.

Halema Khan, along with her three children, paid herrespects to the Afzaals, whom she regarded as family.

"Just needed to see for myself this is real, that they're no longer amongus," Khan said.

She last spoke with MahidaSalman two days before she was killed. Salman'slast words to her friend were:'Please keep my family in your prayers."