Toronto residents walk in Scarborough to honour Muslim family killed in attack, condemn hate
It's been six days since four members of a Muslim family in London, Ont., were killed in an attack that police have called a hate crime, and for many, the grief hasn't stopped.
Residents in Scarborough, Ont., joined a solidarity walk on Saturday to show support for members of the Muslim community devastated by the killing that took the lives of Talat Afzaal, 74, her son Salman Afzaal, 46, his wife Madiha Salman, 44, and their 15-year-old daughter Yumnah Salman.
"When I heard the news it was so sad. The tears came out." Mohsin Patel told CTV News Toronto on Saturday. "I can't express, I can't tell how to take this, because just as a Muslim we don't feel safe to go walk on the street."
Patel and hundreds of others walked in solidarity through Scarborough, including Muslim Canadians and members of different faith communities. They took to the street in memory of the four members of the Afzaal family, who were killed last Sunday.
More than 200 kilometres from the site of the unspeakable tragedy, the events of last weekend hit very close to home for many who came out to walk.
Addressing the crowd, which gathered outside of the Scarborough Muslim Association, Toronto resident Rafia Kouser said, "when we say 'this is not our Canada,' it has been our Canada for years. There has been nothing done about it."
Many in the crowd said they often live with fear over how they might be treated simply because of their faith.
"Me and my family, when we go for a walk, we should not be fear for anything" Patel said. "This is a multicultural country, everybody has a right to treat everybody equally."
Another participant, Aqueelah Ali, shared with CTV New Toronto numerous examples of how she feels singled out on a daily basis due to her faith.
"It's sad," Ali said. "I am a Canadian citizen. I grew up here. I work with everyone and for some reason I'm still … frowned upon.”
Several other participants shared messages of strength and hope at the walk.
"I'm going to be honest with all of you," speaker Tanvir Ahmed told the crowd. "I hold some fear, I hold some anxiety. Like many people my age, I don't know what I'm going to do, who I might become. But I know for certain that no matter where I go, no matter who I will be, I will always be a proud Canadian Muslim."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What's a Barnacle? It's yellow, sticks and screams if you try to pry it off your car
Barnacles, bright yellow devices used to make sure parking scofflaws pay their tickets, could soon be making their way to cities across Canada.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
A Nigerian chess champion plays the royal game for 60 hours - a new global chess record
A Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate played chess nonstop for 60 hours in New York City's Times Square to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.