Vancouver man feels safe at mosque thanks to community support
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A young Vancouver man says he’s feeling safe at his mosque for the first time since the Quebec City mosque shooting, thanks to support from police and the community in the wake of the New Zealand massacre.
The man, who doesn’t want to be identified, says ever since mosque-related violence in the states and in Quebec City, the thought of violence here at home has been at the back of his mind.
“After something terrible happens to anyone we always wonder what we would do in that situation and that alone would sometimes make me think maybe I shouldn’t go outside today maybe it’s a bad idea to go to the mosque,” he told NEWS 1130.
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“But in the end, if we change our way of life and don’t continue our prayer and just living the way we do then the terrorists win because that’s what the ultimate goal for them is.”
This week, various police departments on the Lower Mainland stepped up their presence at mosques to ensure worshippers feel safe and supported after a gunman targeted two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, killing 50 people on Friday.
The Vancouver man says seeing officers across the street from his mosque when he went for prayer on Friday, made him feel supported and safe.
“The RCMP there, especially after an incident such as the one in New Zealand, really let us express our prayers to the fallen without wondering if the same would happened to us,” he added.
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“Seeing that the Mayor’s office and then government is being on our side and protecting us in our place of worship, it makes me at least feel included, I guess, and not abandoned in such a somber time.”
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The man says he still believes Vancouver isn’t a place where an attack similar to Quebec City or New Zealand could happen.
“I’m very happy with how strong the Muslim community and the Vancouver community has been through all of this,” he declares.
“I tend to think that when I’m out in the streets with my mom, my parents both are out in the streets, we are surrounded by good people and Vancouver is a very diverse city in itself.
– With files from Taran Parmar
