About 150 people gathered on the steps of Sarnia City Hall over the noon hour Thursday in a show of solidarity with the Muslim community.
It was held in the wake of a mass shooting at a Quebec City mosque on Sunday which saw six people killed and many others injured.
An emotional Aruba Mahmud from the Sarnia Muslim Association addressed the crowd.
"We hope that as tragic as this event is, it can serve as a catalyst to help us better know and understand one another and to encourage us to work together to fight hatred and intolerance with peace and respect," says Mahmud.
"I'm grateful that my professional role with the Sarnia-Lambton Local Immigration Partnership is also built on the mandate of making Sarnia and Lambton county a more welcoming community for immigrants, newcomers and refugees. We have been planning anti-racist initiatives for several weeks now. This attack has only furthered our resolve and highlighted the need to build on these efforts."
"For years Islamophobia, the hatred of Muslims and Islam, has been on the rise. I've personally been researching and trying to challenge Islamophobia for years along with many others in our community. I've done so academically, professionally, and personally. It's been troubling to see that such attitudes are only increasing and becoming more normalized on a national and international scale."
The crowd, which included local politicians and law enforcement, spontaneously broke into singing O Canada afterwards.
The Sarnia Muslim Association is hosting an open house February 8 at 6pm at the mosque at 1609 London Line.
A Gathering Was Held At Sarnia City Hall In Support Of The Muslim Community - Feb 2/17 (Blackburnnews.com Photo By Jake Jeffrey)
