Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Riders attacked in possible hate crime

First Published:

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Hamilton police have a hate crime investigator looking into an alleged assault that happened early this morning. It took place near Bay Street North and Cannon — as two brothers were leaving the downtown Hamilton mosque on their bicycles.

The two brothers were travelling north on Bay when a group of people who were behind them began yelling at them, around 12:30 am. The group approached and began hitting the pair. One of the males in the group pulled a knife and another yelled a racial slur.

One of the brothers was taken to hospital with minor injuries, the other was also taken as a precaution. Police arrived and investigated those on scene, and two suspects have been identified.

To get some insight on what could have happened here we spoke to local lawyer Hussein A. Hamdani who is an Islam Community organizer about Islam-a-phobia in Southern Ontario: “What we’ve noticed is there are many Muslims who are victims of hate. Sometimes they don’t report it. I’m fairly pleased, in this incident at least, that the police are involved and they may see this as a hate incident. What we need to make sure is that the radical extremists few do not paint and tarnish the whole mass community.”

Hamdani said that blow back in the west against Muslims can sometimes be triggered by events that happen in the Middle East.

When contacted this afternoon, one of the brothers said he was exhausted and didn’t want to speak. We talked to the Imam from the downtown mosque who said the brothers are shocked and stressed over the incident, and he is glad police see this as a hate inspired assault.

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