Canadian authorities said a 24-year-old man has been arrested following a “potential hate crime” at a mosque in Canada on Saturday morning.
Peel Regional Police A response to news of an attack on the Dar al-Tawhid Islamic Center in Mississauga at approximately 7:00 a.m., according to a report press release.
The police said that the man identified by the police as Muhammad Moez Omar entered the mosque brandishing an ax and firing bear spray at members of the mosque, some of whom sustained minor injuries as a result of the bear spray.
When sprayed on a person’s face, bear spray can cause vision loss, nasal congestion, and difficulty breathing.
“Our worshipers were subjected to a violent attack during the dawn prayer,” the Dar al-Tawhid Islamic Center said in a statement.
“Before he could harm any of the devotees, several devotees bravely managed to stop him in his tracks,” the statement read. “Our society will never break and we refuse to be afraid.”
Investigators say they are “considering all possible motives, including hate motives for the incident” as charges against Omar remain pending.
“At this point in the investigation it appears to be an isolated incident,” police said.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the attack as “extremely worrying” in Tweet Saturday afternoon.
“I strongly condemn this violence – which has no place in Canada – and I keep the community in my thoughts today. I also want to pay tribute to the courage of those who were there this morning,” Trudeau said.
Mustafa Farooq, chief executive of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, encouraged the local Muslim community to “remain calm and vigil in the coming days” as “it is still too early to speculate on the exact motives of the attacker”. Tweet series.
Farouk added, “I know how terrifying all of this is, but let’s stick together and judge each other. I love you all.”
Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie said she was “shocked and outraged” by what happened.
“This unprovoked attack on a place of worship is totally unacceptable and I strongly condemn it,” Crombie said in a statement. “My thoughts are with the injured and the Muslim community in the entire city.”
Juliet Arcudia Contributed.
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