April 13, 2023

TORONTO — Mosques across Canada have increasingly had to ask congregants to stay vigilant against potential attacks and harassment during the holy month of Ramadan, Muslim advocacy groups say, noting that the normalization of such security conversations is a concern.

Two mosques in a city north of Toronto and one in Montreal were the subject of security incidents this month. With two weeks of Ramadan still left in the leadup to Eid, the Muslim Association of Canada said mosques have been advising worshippers on ways to stay safe while also looking at measures to boost security on-site.

“We need to ensure that our community is safe, but the fact that that’s becoming a requirement, and that’s becoming a normalized practice because it’s a real fear, is a problem,” association director Memona Hossain said in an interview.

A spokesperson for the National Council of Canadian Muslims said Ramadan in recent years has brought with it an increase in reports from community members of confrontations.

“It has become almost a cycle,” said Steven Zhou, adding the increase might be related to the increased visibility of Muslims during the holy month.

Mosques are bustling during Ramadan as people gather to pray multiple times a day while fasting and sometimes prayers last into the night, Zhou said. He added, however, that attacks against Muslims take place year-round.

Read the full article: ‘It has become a cycle’: Muslim Canadians more vigilant during Ramadan – The Globe and Mail

By Fakiha Baig, The Canadian Press