By Jeff Labine, Lauren Boothby
(EDMONTON JOURNAL) Edmonton city police are investigating three incidents of hate vandalism including one at an east side mosque.
Imam Nasir Butt of the Baitul Hadi Mosque said Tuesday members of the congregation were saddened to learn the place of worship was targeted with a symbol of hate, a swastika, which was painted in red on the side of the building. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Canada condemned the vandalism in a news release Tuesday evening, saying the organization is deeply troubled and concerned.
Police said in a Wednesday news release that the symbol may have been there since as early as April. Police said two other similar incidents were reported in April within the same neighbourhood. One was reported on a vehicle and another on a fence. Police believe the same people or person may be responsible.
The police force’s hate crimes and violent extremism unit has been made aware and is being consulted with the divisional investigation.Butt said the Muslim community is still grieving the allegedly hate-motivated, fatal attack on a London, Ont., family just nine days previous. The family is believed to have been targeted because they are Muslim.
“Because of that incident, they feel fear when they are going out, but at the same time we believe that many people, they showed the love and affection also empathy (to us),” he said in an interview.