There was a sea of people outside of Saint John city hall, gathering together in frigid temperatures to mourn the loss of six men who were murdered in a terrorist attack at a mosque in Quebec City and to show support for the local Muslim community.
It’s estimated that between 800 and 1000 people stood together on Saturday afternoon for the vigil, organized by the Muslim Association of New Brunswick. One of the people in the crowd help up a sign that read ‘My Canada includes Muslims’ while another sign, plastered with shiny red maple leaves, read ‘Welcome to Canada’ — both signs written in English and Arabic.
During the vigil, there was prayer and the singing of the national anthem — for which the crowd turned around to face the Canadian flag, flying half-mast above King Street.
The names of the men who were killed by gunfire during evening prayers were read aloud at the gathering: Aboubaker Thabti, Mamadou Tanou Berry, Ibrahima Berry, Azzedine Soufiane, Khaled Belkacemi, and Abdelkrim Hassane.
Mayor Don Darling, MP Wayne Long and police chief John Bates spoke at the vigil, as did Muslim Association of New Brunswick President Husni El Niaj.
Muslim Association of New Brunswick president Husni El Niaj speaking at today’s vigil for #Quebec: pic.twitter.com/5MSNVochRl
— Laura Lyall (@LauraLyall) February 4, 2017
‘Our country is the greatest country on planet earth’ pic.twitter.com/vPFO87HAf2
— Laura Lyall (@LauraLyall) February 4, 2017
“Terrorism, hatred and discrimination has no religion, has no country, has no specific place in the world. It is basically a small part of every population, a tiny part that causes the most damage,” says Husni El Niaj.
“I think [the people who showed up to the vigil] share the same values, they share the same idea that we are united in this against any acts of terror or discrimination or hate.”
We asked him what message he would like people to take away from today:
“The message is staying united and together…basically it’s love and unity for the whole community,” says El Niaj.
Crowd at #SaintJohn vigil for #Quebec. pic.twitter.com/HVvK2armHJ
— Laura Lyall (@LauraLyall) February 4, 2017
Meantime, in Fredericton this afternoon, a march was held against Islamophobia and deportations.
