Online events mark anniversary of Quebec City mosque shooting

QUEBEC — Ceremonies marking the fourth anniversary of the Quebec City mosque shooting began Friday with a call on Ottawa for more action on gun control and for Quebec to recognize the existence of Islamophobia.

Boufeldja Benabdallah, cofounder of the mosque where six men where killed in 2017, said the federal government’s decision to name Jan. 29 — the day of the 2017 attack — as a national day of remembrance is a step toward healing for the victims and for society.

Remembering the tragedy will also help prevent similar events from happening in the future, he said Friday. And while he lauded Ottawa for creating the day of remembrance, he said the government hasn’t done enough to get handguns off the market.

“Guns killed the fathers of families, guns wounded the fathers of families,” he said. “We don’t want these guns anymore.” He said while Ottawa has taken action on militarystyle weapons, it also needs to ban handguns.

Benabdallah and several other members of the mosque thanked Quebecers for their outpouring of compassion and support in the aftermath of the attack and in the years that followed. Abderrahim Loukili, president of the mosque, known as the Quebec City Islamic culture centre, said sharing hugs and having close contact with people will be missed this year because many of the commemorations moved online.

The day of remembrance announced by Ottawa Thursday will also be a day of action against Islamophobia, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to their families and loved ones who continue to suffer and to all the residents of Quebec City whose community has been forever changed by this tragedy.”

Quebec Premier François Legault, however, refused to use the term Islamophobia at a news conference on Thursday, instead describing the attack as an act of “racism.”