Regent Park Candlelight Vigil Held In Solidarity with the First Nations and Muslims Communities
June 7th Community Vigil in Regent Park to honor the victims of Kamloops Residential School and Afzall family killings.
On the evening of June 7th, 2021, the Regent Park community held a candlelight vigil in the big park. It was estimated that over two hundred people attended the event.
The vigil, which was organized by Mothers of Peace and hosted by Sureya Ibrahim, was held in memory of 215 children found buried on the Kamloops Residential School and the London, Ontario murder of members of the Afzaal family including Salman Afzall, his wife Madiha Afzaal, Yumna Afzaal - their 15-year daughter and Mr. Afzaal's mother. Their 9-year old son, Fayez Afzaal was also seriously injured. The Afzaal family, was brutally run over by a truck on June 6, 2021, as they walked a pedestrian path in London, Ontario.
At the vigil the attack was widely condemned as an act of terrorism, hate and Islamophobia. Several members of the Muslim community that spoke, expressed their concerns for their family’s safety. For many residents of Regent Park, the attack was a stark reminder that Islamophobia is alive and well and that Muslims families across Canada are at risk. The vigil also provided a space for allies, community members and political representatives to share their grief and express their solidarity with Muslim and First Nation communities. Many of the speakers called upon the government to immediately address all the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, along with the urgent need to address on-line hate speech and to stop media negative stereotyping of Muslim communities.
To see the video of the vigil visit https://youtu.be/u8nTOu-UIjs on Regent Park TV.
Written by
Dawar Naeem
Journalist
FOCUS Media Arts Centre
On the evening of June 7th, 2021, the Regent Park community held a candlelight vigil in the big park. It was estimated that over two hundred people attended the event.
The vigil, which was organized by Mothers of Peace and hosted by Sureya Ibrahim, was held in memory of 215 children found buried on the Kamloops Residential School and the London, Ontario murder of members of the Afzaal family including Salman Afzall, his wife Madiha Afzaal, Yumna Afzaal - their 15-year daughter and Mr. Afzaal's mother. Their 9-year old son, Fayez Afzaal was also seriously injured. The Afzaal family, was brutally run over by a truck on June 6, 2021, as they walked a pedestrian path in London, Ontario.
At the vigil the attack was widely condemned as an act of terrorism, hate and Islamophobia. Several members of the Muslim community that spoke, expressed their concerns for their family’s safety. For many residents of Regent Park, the attack was a stark reminder that Islamophobia is alive and well and that Muslims families across Canada are at risk. The vigil also provided a space for allies, community members and political representatives to share their grief and express their solidarity with Muslim and First Nation communities. Many of the speakers called upon the government to immediately address all the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, along with the urgent need to address on-line hate speech and to stop media negative stereotyping of Muslim communities.
To see the video of the vigil visit https://youtu.be/u8nTOu-UIjs on Regent Park TV.
Dawar Naeem
Journalist
FOCUS Media Arts Centre
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