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Surrey mosque vandalized as community leaders call for action against Islamophobia
Police are investigating whether graffiti, threats and raw bacon left at Fleetwood Islamic Center were hate-motivated; investigators seek a man seen on security video.
Fleetwood Islamic Center was vandalized over the weekend after someone wrote what were described as hateful and threatening words on the building and left pieces of raw bacon. The RCMP Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit is investigating whether the incident was motivated by hate.
The incident was reported to have occurred between 11 p.m. Friday and 5 a.m. Saturday. Haji Asif Ali, general secretary of the Fleetwood Islamic Academy Society, said community members arriving for morning prayer found “get out or die!” and “Islam is Trash” written on exterior mosque walls. Raw bacon was hanging from a door handle and found near windows.
Ali said the incident recalled pig animal matter left outside the Quebec City Mosque before the 2017 massacre there. He said Muslims across Canada have faced such threats and similar Islamophobic acts almost daily in recent months, and called on B.C. leaders to stand with the community while the centre takes steps to protect congregants.
Police are seeking to identify a person seen on the centre’s security video before the alleged incident. The man wore a dark green hoodie with red lettering on the front, dark cargo pants, red shoes with white soles and carried a blue bag. Police believe he was driving a small white four-door sedan and are investigating whether the matter is a hate crime.
Anyone with information about the man’s identity, or dashcam or video footage, is asked to call Surrey Police Service at 604-599-0502 and speak with investigators about file 26-27049 (SU).
The National Council of Canadian Muslims said intimidation and hatred against Muslim communities have become normalized in Canada and called for elected officials to work with community members on a national strategy to combat Islamophobia.
B.C. Premier David Eby and Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke were among politicians condemning the incident. Eby said no one should face threats of violence at a place of worship. Locke called the messages and threats deeply offensive and said intimidation based on faith undermines residents’ safety and belonging. L.A. Matheson Secondary teacher Annie Ohana, who leads the school’s Mustang Justice youth social-justice leadership program, called for the community to stand together against hate.