'We can't even walk on the street': Winnipeg Islamic community holds vigil, calls for change in wake of London, Ont., attack
Members of the Islamic community in Winnipeg are mourning the deaths of four members of an Ontario family killed in an alleged targetted attack.
About 250 vehicles packed the parking lot of the Winnipeg Grand Mosque on Thursday evening in the wake of the hit-and-run in London, Ont.
Salman Afzaal, his wife Madiha, their 15-year-old daughter Yumna and Salman's 74-year-old mother were killed when a truck mounted a curb and hit them.
Nine-year-old Fayez Afzaal survived and is recovering.
"People need to know that real lives are affected and impacted – we now have to pick up the pieces of our community's heart and put it back together," said Shahina Siddiqui, the executive director of the Islamic Social Services Association.
The vigil was organized by the Manitoba Islamic Association to honour the Afzaal family. Amid the mourning were calls for change.
"I believe there will be a next one if we don't do anything," Siddiqui said.
She pointed to previous attacks in Canada, including a 2017 shooting at a Quebec mosque that killed six Muslim men.
"It is unfortunate that something so horrific has to happen and over and over again," she said.
"We've come to this now. We can't even walk on the street."
Organizers at the vigil called for Canadian leaders to immediately address hate, racism and Islamophobia.
Eleven-year-old Ali was at the rally with his parents and four siblings. He said he would like to see Canadians make some changes in their own lives.
"If people would respect one another, instead of hurting each other because this has been going on for way too long," he said.
It's a call for change he says is needed before history repeats itself once again.
A funeral for the four members of the Afzaal family is planned for this Saturday in London.
Nathaniel Veltman, 20, is facing four counts of first-degree murder in connection to the attack. The charges have not been proven in court.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.