NCCM condemns assault of London man

Calls on authorities to press hate crime charges

-For Immediate Release-

(Ottawa – June 1, 2016) The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), a prominent civil liberties & advocacy organization, condemns a brazen assault of a London, Ontario man over the weekend.

According to a media report, Mohammad Sharifi and his girlfriend were sitting together at a downtown market when two men approached them allegedly calling Sharifi an Arab and telling him to go back to his country before assaulting Sharifi, punching him repeatedly in the face.

“Londoners are appalled by this senseless act of hatred,” says Saleha Khan, NCCM London spokesperson. “We call on the authorities to prosecute the perpetrators of this unacceptable act to the fullest extent of the law. We cherish our cohesive communities and celebrate our diversity; such attacks have no place in our neighbourhoods,” adds Khan.

“Canadians of all backgrounds stand united against hatred of any kind,” says NCCM Executive Director Ihsaan Gardee. “We must continue to stand together against such ignorant acts of racism.

“We also urge community leaders to remain vigilant and to immediately report suspicious and criminal behaviour firstly to the authorities and also to the NCCM in order to establish a clear record of such incidents,” says Gardee.

Earlier this week, an OC Transpo bus driver in Ottawa, Ontario, was praised for intervening when a young woman wearing a face veil was harassed by another passenger.

“That is what Canada is truly about – remaining united in our diversity,” says Gardee.

Related Resources:
NCCM’s Hate Crimes Map
Community Safety Guide

The NCCM is an independent, non-partisan, and non-profit grassroots advocacy organization. It is a leading voice for Muslim civic engagement and the promotion of human rights.

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