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Woman dies at Rolling Stones concert in Vancouver
A woman attending the Rolling Stones concert at BC Place died Friday night, police confirmed.
Toronto police say their hate crimes unit is investigating after a cube van was seen driving around the city playing what they call an "Islamophobic" video.
A video posted on social media shows an advertising truck playing a video which asks "Is this Yemen? Is this Syria? Is this Iraq?" The video then shows images of Muslims praying, followed by text that says "Wake up Canada. You are under siege."
"What this van was advertising, (is) trying to suggest that Canadian Muslims and communal prayer is something that is threatening and dangerous," Amira Elghawaby, the federal government’s special representative on combatting Islamophobia, told CTV News. "We have really been on edge when it comes to hate targeting our communities and this is just one more example of why people are really worried."
Elghawaby says the message displayed on the truck goes beyond free speech and has stoked fear within the Muslim community.
"We do not want to see another Quebec mosque massacre or a London family attack," she says.
Alghawaby notes that there has been a 500 per cent increase in Islamophobic and antisemitic hate speech online, content that has surged since the attacks of Oct. 7 and the start of the war in Gaza.
According to the U.S.-based Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish advocacy group, antisemitic content soared 919 per cent on X (formerly known as Twitter) and 28 per cent on Facebook in the month following Oct. 7. The Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a London-based advocacy group, says anti-Muslim hate speech on X jumped 422 per cent in the days following the Oct. 7 attacks.
Cities across Canada are also reporting a rise in alleged hate crimes, including Toronto with nearly 190 incidents reported to Toronto police so far this year. Nearly half of those have been antisemitic.
"Let’s be clear, there is a crisis of antisemitism in this country," Richard Marceau, with the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, told CTV News in an interview. "Now is the time to act. Words are not enough, it’s time for political leaders to actually take action to solve this."
Marceau wants police and political leaders to do more to protect members of the Jewish community, including areas around synagogues and schools that have been the subject of violent attacks.
When it comes to hate speech, Elghawaby urges Canadians to speak up.
"Canada's values of pluralism, of diversity, of respect of people of all backgrounds, those values need to be our north star in this moment," she says.
It’s not clear who organized and paid for the truck, but Toronto Police confirm they have received a number of reports about it from members of the public and are asking anyone with pictures or videos of the truck, to come forward.
A woman attending the Rolling Stones concert at BC Place died Friday night, police confirmed.
A B.C. woman who was repatriated from a Syrian prison camp in 2022 has been arrested and charged with terrorism offences, police announced Saturday.
Set atop a hill on the Italian island of Sicily, Agrigento is a heritage tourist’s paradise. But the aqueduct, and others built in modern times, are running so dry that small hotels and guesthouses in the city and nearby coast are being forced to turn tourists away.
Jon Landau, an Oscar-winning producer who worked closely with director James Cameron on three of the biggest blockbusters of all time, 'Titanic' and two 'Avatar' films, has died. He was 63.
U.S. President Joe Biden’s team provided a list of questions to a radio host who interviewed the president this week in the aftermath of his debate performance, the host told CNN.
This year, only Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre will be saddling up for the event, while both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh will stay away.
Though travelling by yourself can be scary and intimidating, there are some ways to make sure you’re safe and have a good time, says a solo travel and content creator from Ottawa.
The man who left hate comments on a murder victim’s online obituary has been sentenced.
Another alleged accomplice of the leader of the Blood Family Mafia (BFM), Dave 'Pic' Turmel, has been arrested by the RCMP.
A convict who escaped an Edmonton correctional service more than a month ago has been caught.
An Ottawa woman, who has survived cancer and has overcome addiction, has won $70 million with Lotto Max.
Calgary is easing outdoor water restrictions as the city continues work to help its water infrastructure recover following a major feeder main break.
Adam finds out how a giant tortoise walking along a sidewalk is inspiring a woman visiting from Australia.
A wrestling fan from Guelph, Ont. thought he was down for the count after winning tickets to a “once-in-a-lifetime” WWE event in Toronto.
Lacey may look like just another pet chicken on Emily Carrington’s B.C. property. But she has a title her coop mates don’t: Guinness World Record holder.
Philip Kim, who competes as "B-Boy Phil Wizard," is set to make Canadian sports history this summer as the country's first-ever Olympic breaking athlete.
A new documentary filmed in Nova Scotia by marine biologist and veterinarian Dr. Chris Harvey Clark explores the increased number of white shark observations in Canadian waters.
A never-before-lived-in mansion in Whistler is on the market for $17.9 million – with the listing describing it as a 'steal for the international buyer' due to the current exchange rate, which puts the price in U.S. dollars at $13.1 million.