Based on coverage from Global News, Times Colonist, and Winnipeg Free Press.
A Victoria imam is recovering after he says a stranger tried to drag him out of his car and hurled xenophobic insults at him after evening prayers. Police have arrested a 31-year-old man, and the case is drawing fresh attention to fears about anti-Muslim hate and public safety in B.C.’s capital.
Victoria imam attacked after prayers
Ebrahim Ali, the head imam of Masjid Al-Iman Victoria, told Global News he was sitting in his vehicle late Thursday night when a man approached, opened the car door, and tried to pull him out. Ali said the man spat on him and told him to “go back home,” while Ali’s wife was in the car.
“I tried to push him back from the car because my wife was with me and I need to protect her,” Ali told Global News.
The B.C. Muslim Association said Ali was near his home shortly after prayers when he noticed someone inspecting his car. The association says that when the person saw Ali inside and wearing a traditional white thobe, the suspect tried to force the door open and assaulted him. The group described a physical altercation where both men exchanged blows.
Injuries reported and police response
Ali told Global News he suffered injuries including a facial fracture. The B.C. Muslim Association, through spokesperson Mohammed Imtiaz Asin, described Ali’s injuries as light head injuries and said he was well enough to lead prayers on Friday.
After the suspect left, Ali says he called 911 and followed the man in his vehicle for about 20 minutes until police arrived and arrested him. The B.C. Muslim Association also says Ali stayed on the phone with 911 while following the suspect, who was then located and arrested.
Victoria police later confirmed the suspect is a repeat offender and has been remanded in custody until June 25.
Charges laid and second reported attack
The Canadian Press reports Victoria police laid charges of robbery and assault after separate attacks in the city, including the beating of the imam. Police say the crimes were random.
According to police, after Ali reported being assaulted when a man tried to force him out of his vehicle, officers arrested a 31-year-old man. Police say a second call then came in from another person who reported being attacked and robbed in the same area, and that the suspect description was similar.
Victoria Chief Fiona Wilson said “random attacks like these are deeply unsettling, and can erode the sense of safety that people feel in their own city.” She also said police are investigating motive and asked the public to “withhold judgment” as the case proceeds through court.
Muslim groups call out anti-Muslim hate
Muslim organizations condemned the alleged attack and linked it to broader concerns about Islamophobia in Canada. Yahya Jama, the National Council of Canadian Muslims’ senior government affairs and public policy officer, told Global News the reaction in the community is “shock and disappointment and horror.”
“These aren’t isolated incidents; they are unfortunately part of a pattern that we are seeing across the country,” Jama said.
In a statement, the Canadian Council of Imams called for increased government support focused on “security awareness, personal safety, and self-defence for faith leaders and targeted communities.” The National Council of Canadian Muslims also urged leaders at all levels to speak out and take “concrete action” to address rising anti-Muslim hate.
Federal Culture Minister Marc Miller weighed in on social media, calling the reported assault “appalling and vile,” and saying Islamophobia and violence have no place in Canada.
Ali says safety matters, chooses forgiveness
Ali says his main hope is for people to feel safe.
“We are here to bring peace, we are here to support, to help,” he told Global News. “We are a part of the community.”
He also said he’s choosing forgiveness, adding he wants a commitment that the accused won’t hurt anyone else, “Muslim or non-Muslim, young or old,” as the case moves through the courts in Victoria.
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