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Police in Vancouver say they are investigating a threat against the city’s Muslim community as authorities across the country are responding to a series of menacing emails reportedly targeting Islamic schools and institutions.
The Vancouver Police Department says it is working closely with the Muslim Association of Canada and has increased patrols in locations across the city.
“Anyone who has received a threat or has information about a potential threat is asked to contact police immediately,” the department said in a statement to CTV News on Friday.
The investigation comes after the Muslim Association of Canada said several of its schools in Ontario, B.C. and Quebec received the same anonymous email this week threatening violence.
The association said in a statement on its website that the email contained “explicit language targeting Muslim children, families, and community members.”
The email, which was shared with The Canadian Press and was signed by a “Citizen Vigilante,” threatened to “slaughter” Muslims and vowed Canada will be “Islam free.”
The association said that while there was “no indication of an imminent or specific threat to any of our schools,” it takes such threats seriously and has activated its security protocols.
“Our schools continue to operate safely and without disruption,” the association said.
“This threat is not simply an attack on Muslims. It is an attack on the values that define Canada. It reflects a growing climate of Islamophobia and polarization that, left unchecked, threatens every community in this country and not just ours.”
Police in Ontario’s Peel region said Friday they’re aware of a letter “containing hate-motivated threats” against Islamic institutions and have also increased police patrols near mosques and schools, which will continue into the weekend.
Meanwhile, police in the London, Ottawa and Waterloo regions of Ontario said they were also investigating threatening emails sent to Islamic schools.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree wrote in a statement that he is “deeply disturbed” by the threats, saying they “are unacceptable and have no place in Canada.”
The latest data from Statistics Canada shows the number of police-reported hate crimes against Muslims rose by more than 170 per cent between 2020 and 2024.
The Muslim Association of Canada called on the federal government to provide a “clear and decisive response” to Islamophobia in Canada.
With files from The Canadian Press
