Quebec City mosque attack: Islamic Cultural Centre steps up security amid hate incidents due to Israel-Hamas war

Seven years since the Quebec City mosque attack when a gunman opened fire during evening prayers on Jan. 29, 2017, killing six worshippers, and security at the mosque has been stepped up in recent months due to rising tensions and islamophobia from the Israel-Hamas war.

Mohamed Labidi, president of the Islamic Cultural Centre says it was a necessary precaution, as many in the Arab-Muslim community have been targeted.

“Because of what happened in the Middle East, we try to be safe,” he said. “We are aware about many, many incidents in many places, especially in Montreal and Toronto and the big cities of Canada.” 

Since the start of the war on Oct. 7, 40 cases of hate crimes or incidents were reported to Montreal police as of Jan. 23 targeting the Arabic-Muslim community.

CityNews contacted Quebec City police for data on hate crimes there – but they did not get back to us.

“We try to make more protection around the mosque,” he said.

Labidi says since the tragedy in 2017, security at the mosque was already enhanced with additional camera surveillance and volunteers watching over worshippers as they prayed. But since Oct. 7, he says more volunteers were called on to add to the security.

“We feel very bad, but we should do it,” he said. “To save lives and to have security in our mosque.” 

Labidi says he feels the situation of racism and Islamophobia has generally improved in the Quebec city area with the help of outreach within the community.

“Know each other and communicate with the other and dissipate the ignorance of the other,” he said. “We work to have inclusion, to have comprehension, less racism and less Islamophobia, we work together to have less and less bad actions.”

Jan. 29 is the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia and Labidi says it’s important to never forget it.

“It’s very, very difficult for us. Every year it’s like the same other years,” he said. “But it’s a duty [to remember the martyrs].”