Islamophobia and violent political climates

This year was the year that the world witnessed the election of President Donald Trump in the United States. Campaigning on divisive, xenophobic, Islamophobic, and generally oppressive policies, Donald Trump succeeded in winning the electoral college in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. We witnessed protests against his presidency, with people coming out to protest in record numbers. This did not only happen in the U.S., but throughout Canada and across the world as well. The day after Trump’s election, Montrealers gathered in large crowds to demonstrate their solidarity with Americans who stood in opposition to Trump, as well as demonstrating their opposition to the ideology he represents. Shortly after entering office, President Trump issued a travel ban, targeting Muslims, limiting who can come to the United States. Once again, Montrealers showed solidarity with the protestors in the U.S. as hundreds gathered to protest outside the U.S. Consulate in Montreal.

The largest response to the election of President Trump came in the form of the Women’s March on January 21. In Montreal, nearly 10,000 people gathered at Place des Arts to protest Donald Trump’s inauguration as President of the United States. These protestors joined millions across the world coming together in solidarity to stand against President Trump and the misogyny that both him and his movement represent.

This year also saw the rising trend in Islamophobic rhetoric and violence. While Islamophobia played a massive role in the U.S. election, here in Canada it was equally relevant. On January 29 a white supremacist walked into a mosque in Quebec City and murdered six people during evening prayer. In response to this tragedy, Montrealers turned out in remarkable numbers: thousands came out to show their solidarity with the victims of the Quebec City attack and the Muslim community. Shortly after, both Concordia and Mcgill University received bomb threats claiming to be from a white supremacist group, targeting Muslims. Thought the threat turned out to be a hoax, the threat was a startling reminder of the threat posed by oppressive and hateful groups.