Ajax Mayor and Community, Ontario, reacted after police say a woman wearing a hijab is almost on fire
Members of the Ajax community in Ontario said how “fear” they were, hearing police detailed the weekend attacks, in which a woman wearing a headscarf was almost caught on fire. The suspect now faces charges after the incident occurred in a public library, according to police.
Durham area police made an attack call at the main branch of the Ajax Public Library at noon Saturday. Officials said the woman wearing a hijab was learning until she was allegedly approaching a 25-year-old woman who began yelling blasphemy and throwing things on her head.
Police later said the suspect tried to remove the woman’s veil and poured an unknown liquid on it. Then, police said she grabbed a lighter and tried to set the woman’s head on fire until the woman screamed for help and safety.
When the suspect fled, police said she was arrested a few hours later. Now, she faces charges of assault on a weapon, three counts of failing to comply with a probation order. Authorities are still investigating the incident.
“On behalf of the Ajax Commission and the Ajax Library Commission, we are shocked by the violence … which seems to be the motivation for Islamophobia,” said a joint statement from Major Shaun Collier and Piyali Correya, the chairman of the Library’s Board of Trustees. “The library strives to be a safe and enthusiastic space for everyone, and hate and violence will not be tolerated in any town facility or public place.”
They continue to say that they are “here to support” anyone affected by the attack, and their goal is to “oppose all forms of hatred and intolerance.” This is especially true, as the incident took place during Ramadan, which lasted until March 29.
The Canadian Muslim organization also shared the statement after the news. The Canadian National Council of Muslim National said it was “shocked, though not shocked”: “We are angry to learn about this unprovoked attack on a Muslim woman. … We are closely monitoring the case and strongly urge authorities to investigate the attack as a hate crime.”
The Canadian Muslim Advisory Committee also expressed the “not random” of the incident, adding that it was “Islamophobia and gender-based violence” and demanded that “Muslim women should feel safe”.
