HALIFAX, Canada, Sept 23 (News Agencies) -Violence against Muslims has now reached the quiet city of Halifax in Canada. A two-by-four wielding man smashed two large glass windows of the Alrasoul Islamic Society Saturday morning.
Muslims want this to be treated as a hate crime but police are refusing to do so. Halifax Regional Police Staff Sgt. Scott Burbridge says, "This appears to be largely an alcohol-induced and foolish act, which was the spur of the moment caused largely by a dispute with a cab driver."
The attack occurred at 4 a.m. when a man arrived near the Islamic center in a taxi and got in a dispute with the driver over the fare. He then reportedly started shouting racial slurs and attacked the building. Two men who were inside the building say that they could clearly hear the slurs and the police acknowledge this.
"At the time he was smashing the window, he was yelling 'F------ Muslims, f------ bastards,'" said the center's spokesman, Gerald Mayo. "So we are sure this is a hate crime."
Mayo said that the imam of the mosque immediately called the police. By the time the police arrived the man had already fled the scene. Sniffer dogs led police to the house of a 28-year-old man who was arrested and charged with damaging property. He was later released and he is scheduled to appear in provincial court on November 5th.
Area Muslims want the police to treat this crime as a hate crime taking into consideration that Muslims in Canada are encountering increasing harassment since the September 11th terrorist attacks. A hate-crime charge they say would send a strong message that crimes against Muslims won't be tolerated.
Rev. John Baros-Johnson of the Universalist Unitarian Church said he supports a hate crime charge being laid.
"The purpose of a terrorist attack is to spread terror, and people who respond this way are helping to spread terror," he said.
There are an estimated 15,000 Muslims who live in the Halifax metro area.
