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Islamic Association to host vigil in honour of London attack victims

Vigil set for Friday at 7 p.m.
2021-06-09-IslamicAssociationExteriorJH01
The Islamic Association of Sault Ste. Marie mosque on Towers Street.

The Islamic Association of Sault Ste. Marie (IASSM) is planning a vigil for this Friday to pay tribute to those killed in London, Ont. last Sunday.

"The Muslim community of Sault Ste. Marie mourns with a heavy heart and strongly condemns Islamophobia in all of its forms and the multitude of micro and macro aggressions that are committed against Muslims across Canada," states a release issued today on behalf of the IASSM.

"On behalf of The City of Sault Ste. Marie, I want to express categorical support for the Muslim community in London along with the Muslim community in our own community of Sault Ste. Marie," said Mayor Christian Provenzano on Facebook yesterday. "We all need to stand together in solidarity against hate, violence and Islamophobia."

Full details of Friday's vigil are outlined in the IASSM release below:

Muslim communities across northern Ontario are paying tribute to the Muslim family killed in London Ont. last Sunday evening.

A physically distanced vigil will be held on Friday, June 11, 2021 at 7 p.m. in Sault Ste. Marie’s mosque at 2 Towers Street where a safe space is created to express condolences with flowers, candles, letters, and prayers.

The City of Sault Ste. Marie would like to show support to the Muslim community in London, Ont. and honour the lives of the four family members who were killed on Sunday, June 6 in a terrorist Islamophobic attack.

The Muslim community of Sault Ste. Marie mourns with a heavy heart and strongly condemns Islamophobia in all of its forms and the multitude of micro and macro aggressions that are committed against Muslims across Canada.

We must all stand together to fight Islamophobia and discrimination in order to ensure our country is safe and welcoming for all people.

Salman Afzaal, 46; his wife Madiha Salman, 44; their daughter Yumna Afzaal, 15; and Salman Afzaal’s mother, 74, were killed after a black truck slammed into them as they took their evening walk.

The fifth person, their 9-year-old son, survived and is in serious condition at the hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

We thank our community for the outpouring of support and messages of love and solidarity that we have and continue to receive. We are better together.

A GoFundMe account has been set up on behalf of the family.

Social distancing and mask wearing are expected as per Algoma Public Health’s guidelines.


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