Winnipeg Mosque Targeted in Shooting, Property Attack as Muslim Community Demands Action
A mosque in northeast Winnipeg was targeted in a series of incidents Wednesday night, including suspected gunfire and property damage while people were inside the Islamic centre. No injuries were reported, but Muslim community leaders say the attacks have left worshippers deeply concerned about their safety and are urging authorities to investigate the incidents as hate-motivated crimes.
A Winnipeg mosque is at the centre of a police investigation after it was targeted in a series of incidents involving suspected gunfire, vandalism and racist remarks.
The Rahma Islamic Centre on Watt Street was reportedly targeted Wednesday night while members of the Muslim community were inside the building. No injuries were reported, but the incident has left worshippers and community leaders deeply concerned about their safety.
Winnipeg police said officers on patrol discovered damaged windows at the mosque at around 11:30 p.m. Investigators subsequently determined that a firearm may have been discharged in the direction of the building.
According to police, the damage did not end there. Two people later approached the Islamic centre on foot and allegedly damaged the building with what appeared to be a blunt object, resulting in further broken glass.
Police were also told that the same individuals had reportedly passed the mosque earlier in the evening and shouted racist comments toward people at the centre.
The incidents have sparked concern across Winnipeg's Muslim community, with leaders emphasizing that places of worship should provide a safe environment for prayer, families and community gatherings.
Feisal Adem, the director and imam of the Rahma Islamic Centre, said the attack had severely affected the sense of security among members of the congregation.
He also pointed to previous attacks against Muslim communities in Canada, including the 2017 Quebec City mosque shooting and the 2021 vehicle attack in London, Ontario, which killed members of a Muslim family.
Community advocates say the Winnipeg incident should not be viewed in isolation.
Sadaf Ahmed, a government affairs and public policy representative with the National Council of Canadian Muslims in Manitoba, described recent incidents as part of a troubling pattern of attacks and intimidation directed at Muslim communities.
Other incidents cited by community leaders include damage to the windows of Habibiz Café, a Middle Eastern restaurant on Portage Avenue, as well as a swastika that was reportedly painted at the Abu Bakr Al-Siddique mosque and community centre.
Ahmed called for immediate and concrete measures to address Islamophobia and urged authorities to consider whether the latest incidents should be investigated as hate-motivated crimes.
Kadar Ahmed, president of Masjid Bilal, said mosques should remain places where people can worship, bring their children and gather without fear.
Government officials have also condemned the attack.
Manitoba's minister for culture and heritage, Nellie Kennedy, described the incident as deeply troubling and said the provincial government would help fund repairs to the damaged mosque.
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham also condemned the incident, stressing that people should be able to worship and gather in their communities without feeling threatened.
