A 25-year-old female attacked a Muslim woman and attempted to set the latter’s hijab on fire in a public library located near the Canadian city of Toronto. Fortunately, no serious injuries took place and she survived.
According to a statement by the Durham regional police, the suspect, Kaley-Ann Freier, was arrested on the same day of the attack. She has been charged with assault with a weapon and failing to comply with a probation order.
The incident occurred on Sunday, March 22, when the hijab-wearing woman was sitting in the library, immersed in reading. Suddenly, she was approached by the accused, who started throwing sharp objects at her.
As the Muslim woman tried to shield herself, her attacker came near her and started pouring liquid on her hijab and then attempted to set it with her lighter.
Horrified, the she screamed, alerting the security personnel. While the attacker fled the library, she was located by officers a few hours later and taken into custody.
Later, the Muslim victim released her statement, which was read by National Council of Canadian Muslims senior advocacy officer Fatema Abdalla at a news conference on Monday, March 23.
“I never imagined that a visit to my favorite, quiet corner of the library would turn into one of the most terrifying moments of my life. I always assume the best in people, and never thought someone would wish harm upon me, especially when I was just sitting there, minding my own business,” the statement read.
“I can’t stop thinking, ‘What if the lighter had worked? What if my hijab had caught on fire?’ The least of the damage would have been permanent burns on my face. What if the scissors and the metal object she threw at me had struck my neck instead of missing? I can’t stop replaying those possibilities in my mind,” the statement read.
Canadian PM offers support
Taking cognizance of the matter, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who recently took over the office from his predecessor Justin Trudeau, offered his condolences and support to the Muslim woman.
“This type of violence is not an isolated incident. Islamophobia is real, it is dangerous, and it must stop. I offer my support and prayers to the victim of this terrible act and am relieved that the police acted quickly and made an arrest,” read his X post.
Minority organisations condem attack
The Muslim Advisory Council of Canada strongly condemned the attack on the hijab-wearing woman calling it, “a brazen act of Islamophobia and gendered violence.” It also highlighted the growing hatred towards the Muslim community especially when “Canada’s foreign policies, particularly in relation to Palestine, have contributed to the rise of Islamophobia.”
“This was not random. This was a targeted attack meant to terrorize. We are deeply disturbed and stand in solidarity with the survivor. No one should fear for their safety because of their faith,” they said.
Similalry, the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) also condemned the attack expressing deep concerns. In a statement, they asaid they were “horrified, though not shocked,” learning about the incident.
“We are outraged to learn of this unprovoked attack on a Muslim woman, which took place at the Ajax Library on Saturday, March 22,” said NCCM CEO Stephen Brown.
“It is an outrage that this kind of violence has become a regular occurrence in our community. Incidents of Islamophobia have increased exponentially in recent years. It is time for our elected leaders to step up and address this issue collaboratively. We are in touch with Durham Regional Police,” he added.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Veena Nair | 
