Following an attack on five members of a Muslim family in London, Ont. on Sunday, the director of the Kamloops Islamic Association says it is scary at times being “visibly Muslim” in the Tournament Capital.

Speaking on the NL Noon Report, Umme Mansoory says she felt it growing up in Vancouver, living in Yellowknife, and now in Kamloops.

“That is the reality of being Muslim in Canada. Especially being a Muslim woman – visibly Muslim woman in Canada. This is our reality,” she said. “I could be at a parking lot by myself and I fear that I might be in the wrong place at the wrong time – that my appearance might trigger someone.”

“This isn’t the first time [a tragedy like London] has happened in Canada. It was a family that was murdered this time in a terrorist attack. It was a mosque a few years ago. It was a woman in Edmonton not too long ago. This is not new in our community.”

Mansoory says the Kamloops Islamic Centre has always had a trickle of reports of racially motivated abuse – but since Sunday – those reports have spiked as the community shares stories they’ve maybe not thought to bring up until now.

“It’s not something that we are unaware of,” she added. “We often get reports like this but there’s been that spike in that which tells us that we don’t live in a bubble.”

Moving forward, she says politicians need to go beyond what she calls a cycle of public displays of condolences and “thoughts and prayers” instead choosing to pursue legislation that protects all citizens, and addresses the root causes of hate.

“Often when we help community members navigate reports to police and stuff like that they’re often told oh well this isn’t a hate crime. Well it’s not a hate crime yet – right? But it has the potential. This is how it broods. This is how it starts and we really need to look at prevention work,” Mansoory said.

PM Trudeau describes incident as a terrorist attack

Earlier today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Sunday’s incident – where a man drove a pickup truck onto the curb and targeted the family because of their Muslim faith – a terrorist attack motivated by hatred.

“Lately, a lot of Canadians have been enjoying evening walks to get a bit of fresh air after long days at home during this pandemic. On Sunday, in London, Ontario, that’s what a grandmother, two parents, and two children went out to do… But unlike every other night, this family never made it home,” said the prime minister.

“Their lives were taken in a brutal, cowardly, and brazen act of violence. This killing was no accident. This was a terrorist attack, motivated by hatred, in the heart of one of our communities.”

A family spokesperson identified the victims as Salman Afzaal, 46, his wife Madiha, 44, their 15-year-old daughter Yumna, and Salman’s 74-year-old mother whose name was withheld. Fayez Afzaal, 9, survived the attack “with serious injuries” and he is recovering in hospital.

A 20-year-old London man faces four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.

Conservative Leader, Erin O’Toole said that nine-year-old Fayez Afzaal deserves a better Canada than the one he saw on Sunday evening adding he needs more than grief from other people.

“Freedom to worship can’t exist without freedom from fear, and every Canadian has a right to that,” O’Toole said.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who lived in London for five years, questioned how many more innocent lives will be taken by hatred and intolerance in this country.

“I love my home. I love this place. But the reality is this is our Canada… Our Canada is a place where you can’t walk down the streets if you wear a hijab, because you will be killed,” Singh said. “The reality is our Canada is a place of racism, of violence, of genocide of Indigenous people, and our Canada is a place where Muslims aren’t safe.”

MPs also held a moment of silence in the House of Commons for the victims of the attack. The Senate also observed a minute of silence when its sitting began today.

There is also a vigil taking place outside the London Muslim Mosque tonight to honour the four victims.

– With files from The Canadian Press and Victor Kaisar