In today’s episode David Wall presents a second series of excerpts from the June 7th Candlelight Vigil held in the big park. It was estimated that over two hundred people attended the event. We’ll hear our second excerpt from a recent candlelight vigil, hosted by Mothers of Peace in Regent Park to commemorate the murder of a famly in London, Ontario and the discovery of unmarked graves near the site of a Residential School in Kamloops, British Columbia.

The vigil, which was organized by Mothers of Peace and hosted by Sureya Ibrahim, was held in memory of 215 children found buried on the Kamloops Residential School and the London, Ontario murder of members of the Afzaal family including Salman Afzall, his wife Madiha Afzaal, Yumna Afzaal - their 15-year daughter and Mr. Afzaal's mother. Their 9-year old son, Fayez Afzaal was also seriously injured. The Afzaal family, was brutally run over by a truck on June 6, 2021, as they walked a pedestrian path in London, Ontario.

At the vigil the attack was widely condemned as an act of terrorism, hate and Islamophobia. Several members of the Muslim community that spoke, expressed their concerns for their family’s safety. For many residents of Regent Park, the attack was a stark reminder that Islamophobia is alive and well and that Muslims families across Canada are at risk. The vigil also provided a space for allies, community members and political representatives to share their grief and express their solidarity with Muslim and First Nation communities. Many of the speakers called upon the government to immediately address all the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, along with the urgent need to address on-line hate speech and to stop media negative stereotyping of Muslim communities.
 
Following are the names of the speakers:
Syreya Ibrahim
Brianna Olson Pitawankwat (Co-founder Toronto Indigenous Harm Reduction
and Native Arts Society)
PC.Farzad Ghotbi (Toronto Police Service, 51 Division)
Sgt. Henry Dyck,  51 Division, Toronto Police  Service