Wave of support at the National Assembly for Liberal MNA Marwah Rizqy following threats to her safety

Liberal MNA for Saint-Laurent, Marwah Rizqy, called for police protection on Tuesday, saying she feared for her safety and that of her family.

Rizqy was the target of insults after denouncing the toxic climate allegedly created by 11 teachers at Bedford elementary school in Montreal.

On Monday, Quebecor media published a speech by preacher Adil Charkaoui, who suggested that Rizqy was exaggerating things about the school, calling her, in his words, “a token Moroccan.”

On Tuesday, Rizqy vowed to journalists at the National Assembly that she would continue to do her job and speak out loud and clear, despite the degrading and threatening remarks targeting her.

“Freedom of expression, freedom as a legislator, is mine to guarantee, along with all my parliamentary colleagues. No, I’m not discouraged. I’m rolling up my sleeves and I’m going to keep going,” she said.

The elected representative for Saint-Laurent was also keen to thank the MNAs from other political parties, many of whom showed their support for her.

This is not the first time that Rizqy, known for being outspoken, has been targeted in this way; she received death threats during the 2022 election campaign.

Quebec Education Minister Bernard Drainville, Québec solidaire parliamentary leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois and PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon are among those who have denounced Rizqy’s treatment on Tuesday.

St-Pierre Plamondon recalled that he himself had experienced an episode of threats last spring.

“This morning, I called the Secretary General of the National Assembly (…) and (I) told him: ‘Give this MNA all the means and all the security she deserves, whether she’s a minister or not, whether she’s a party leader or not,’” he said in a press briefing.