5 years after fatal mosque attack, Quebec City Muslims call for CAQ government to do more to end Islamophobia

Sitting in the same prayer room of a Quebec City mosque where he was injured in a deadly shooting almost five years ago, Sad Akjour says he remembers the horrific attack as if it happenedyesterday.

"I can still see Aboubaker Thabti," said Akjour, pointing to the spot where he last saw his fellow worshipper."I can still see Azzedine Soufiane."

One by one, he listed the names of all of the menkilled at theIslamic Cultural Centre on Jan. 29, 2017:Mamadou Tanou Barry, Abdelkrim Hassane, Ibrahima Barry and Khaled Belkacemi.

At anews conference Thursday at thenewly renovated mosque, Akjour and other community members outlined details of the commemorative events scheduled for Saturday tomarkthefifthanniversary of the attack.

The co-founder of the Islamic centre,Boufeldja Benabdallah,saidthe commemorations are usually simple. However, this year,the community is calling for more government action to fight Islamophobia,includingchanging parts of Quebec's controversial secularism law, known as Bill 21, andtoughening Canada's gun control laws.

"We need to take action, and action is the fight against discrimination and systemic racism; it is the fight against guns that kill our children, our adults," Benabdallahsaid.

Calls for federal handgun ban

On Wednesday, leaders of the mosquerenewed their calls for a Canada-wide ban on handguns. They sent letters to the federal and Quebec governments, urging all sides to make sure that any new gun control legislation is applied across the country.

The federal Liberal government had planned to give municipalities the legal rightto ban guns on their territories, but that bill never passed.

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, Benabdallah and other Muslim leaders asked the government "to stop efforts to absolve the federal government of responsibility for the handgun issue."

The six victims in the 2017 mass shooting were shot with a 9mm Glock pistol over a period of about two minutes. The shooter had at least five other weapons, including three assault rifles. All the weapons in his possession were acquired legally.

"It is absolutely harmful and shameful to note that in five years, nothing has been done to change the circumstances that allowed this individual to acquire or keep such an arsenal," mosque leaders wrote.

"In other words, an individual with the same profile could today own the same weapons and accessories."

While assault weapons were banned federally as of May 2020, those that were in circulation before that date remain in the hands of owners while they await details of a federal buyback program.

Combating Islamophobia takes changes to policy

Pointing to another targeted, deadly attack against a Muslim familyin London, Ont.,last year,Benabdallahsaid Thursday that the fight against Islamophobia is far from over nationwide.

He saidPremier FranoisLegault's refusal to acknowledgeits existence is hindering progress in Quebec.

"In Quebec, our premier does not acknowledge systemic racism or Islamophobia as existing," he said, noting it takes changes to government policy, like Bill 21,to combat Islamophobia.

Premier FranoisLegault defends Bill 21:

Legault backs Bill 21 on eve of mosque shooting anniversary

3 years ago

Duration 0:55

Quebec Premier Franois Legault says Bill 21 is 'not about racism' and not 'against Muslims.'

The controversial billbars public servants "in positions of authority" fromthe wearing of religious symbols,including the hijab the headscarf worn by some Muslim women. Benabdallah called on that religious symbol ban to be changed, as he said itunfairly punishesMuslim women.

"Any politician that creates a law that disproportionately impacts a group of peopleis a law that youneed to look closely at," said Nora Loretoat Thursday's news conference. She is part of thecitizens group,Commmoration citoyenne de l'attentat du 29 janvier 2017.

Loretosays the bill "has done such damage to feeding Islamophobia," also suggesting itprimarily targetsMuslim women.

Quebec Premier Franois Legault has repeatedly defended the bill, saying it's neither aimed at Muslims nor motivated by racism.

Aceremony at the mosque to mark the anniversary of the six men's deathsis scheduled for Saturday at 6 p.m. Due to COVID-19, organizers are asking most people to follow the event online. Survivors and relatives of the victims will deliver speeches. Legault and Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand will be in attendance.

"We hope to be able to meet and gather in real life at some point," saidMaryam Bessiri, another member of the citizensgroup.

"The commemoration of Jan.29 ... is a space of gathering. It is to assemble all the people who want to build something together for the sake of memory and moving forward."