The victim of the Islamaphobic attack at Ajax Public Library yesterday spoke out about the trauma the unprovked incident has caused her.
Suffering at a time her husband is away on business, she expressed fears for her daughters who wear a hijab (Islamic head covering).
The victim alleged racial slurs and threats and even a scissor and some metal objects being thrown at her before the assailant tried to rip off her hijab and set it on fire.
Yesterday, the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) called on the authorties to treat the incident as a “hate crime” drawing parallels to the January 2017 Quebec Mosque attack and the June 2021 mowing down of members of the Afzaal family in London, Ontario.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has condemned the incident.
The incident took place on March 22 around noon.
Here is the story in the victim’s own words
It was read out by a NCCM member who broke down in the retelling of the incident. The victim was sitting in the library,
“When I noticed a woman murmuring and cursing. At first, I refused to believe her words were directed at me. I always assume the best in people and never thought someone would wish harm on me especially when I was just sitting there minding my own business. I tried to ignore her even turning my chair away to avoid confrontation. But suddenly objects were being thrown at me. I turned around, still unable to believe that this was an act of hatred.
I thought maybe she was struggling with something, maybe she needed help. I considered speaking to the librarian, but before I do anything, the situation escalated.
Out of nowhere she finally grabbed my hijab, yanking it in an attempt to remove it. Then she poured a liquid all over it so much so that I could feel my scarf getting soaked. And then to my absolute horror she pulled out a lighter and tried to set me on fire. She kept trying, flicking it again and again repeating her threats.
I was paralyzed with shock, then overwhelmed with terror. I screamed and then guard security intervened just in time.
I don’t feel safe for my daughters
But I can’t stop thinking what if the lighter had worked? What if my hijab had caught on fire? The least of the damage would have been permanent burns on my face. What if the scissors and the metal objects she threw at me had struck my neck instead of missing?
I can’t stop replaying those possibilities in my mind.
Since that day, I I haven’t been able to sleep properly. Every time I close my eyes the incident replays over and over again. I toss and turn gripped by my fear.
I have been preparing for an important exam for over a year, but I can’t focus. My husband is away on a business trip and my daughters need me now more than ever. But I feel like I’m breaking. I don’t feel safe for my daughters all of whom wear a hijab.
How safe our public spaces truly are?
I’m deeply worried that if something similar were to happen again, they could become targets for hate and violence. The fear that an incident like this could happen to my daughters keeps me awake at night and shakes my confidence in the safety of our community spaces.
As a mother, their security is my utmost priority, and I cannot but question how safe our public spaces truly are when even a peaceful library could become a site of terror.
I wish I could go back in time and make this never happen again. I keep asking myself why? Why would someone attack me just for peacefully sitting there? I don’t have the answers, but I know this — no one should have to experience what I did. No one should feel unsafe simply existing in a public space and I will not stay silent about what happened to me.”
Hear the Audio of the Victim’s Statement Below
There have been several hate incidents across Durham municipalities, including Pickering, Whitby, Oshawa and Clarington, since the ongoing war in the Middle East erupted.
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Very sad to hear that these incidents are happening in Ajax too.