Remembering the Victims of the Québec City Mosque

On January 29, 2017, a lone gunman entered Centre culturel Islamique de Québec (Islamic Cultural Centre  of Québec City), a place of worship, and opened fire on worshippers, killing six men — Ibrahima Barry,  Mamadou Tanou Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Abdelkrim Hassane, Azzedine Soufiane, and Aboubaker Thabti  — and injuring many more. This act of terror left 17 children without a father, six women widowed, and a  community shattered. Ayman Derbali, shot seven times as he tried to stop the shooter, is now confined to a  wheelchair, only able to move his head, arms, and hands. Deemed an act of terrorism by both Prime Minister  Justin Trudeau and Québec Premier Philippe Couillard this violent act opened up public discussions on the  rise of Islamophobia in our country, leading to the federal government establishing January 29th as the  National Day of Remembrance of the Québec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia in  2021. Two years later, in 2023, Prime Minister Trudeau announced the appointment of Canada’s first  Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia: Amira Elghawaby. 

Every year on January 29, we remember the victims of this act of terror, recognize those who altruistically  put themselves in harm’s way to protect others, and show solidarity with and support for those who  survived. The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) invites Canadians to join the Green Square  Campaign in the week leading up to January 29th to remember the victims and stand in solidarity with the  survivors of the mosque attack. The green square represents the green carpets of the mosque where the  victims had been worshipping before they were killed. In addition, it reminds us of the fact that those who  were killed are currently in the green gardens of Paradise, a much better place than that which they left that  night. Moreover, wear the green square to stand against Islamophobia. Green Squares are available at  Queen’s University at the Office of the Vice-Principal (Culture, Equity, and Inclusion) and the Office of  Faith and Spiritual Life, as well as at the Islamic Centre of Kingston. 

On January 29th, the City of Kingston will illuminate City Hall in green in honour of the National Day of  Remembrance of the Québec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia. The Queen’s  University Muslim Inclusion Network (QUMIN) will also be hosting a virtual gathering for Muslim staff  and faculty over the lunch hour. On January 27th, Muslim Societies-Global Perspectives and the School of  Religion at Queen’s University will be hosting a talk by Professor Khaoula Zoghlami of Université Laval  on Anatomy of an Encounter in a Québec City Mosque: The Texture of Islamophobia and the Politics of  Compassion. It will be held in Room 517 of Watson Hall at Queen’s University from 6:30-8:00 pm.