Vigil for Afzaal family hears Islamophobia promises made by province and feds still unfulfilled

Two years after four members of the Afzaal Family were killed in an apparently deliberate attack, words haven’t always translated into action.

Two years after four members of the Afzaal Family were killed in an apparently deliberate attack, words haven’t always translated into action.

A thousand Londoners came together on Tuesday evening at a vigil at the corner of Hyde Park Road and South Carriage Road — where the attack happened.

Amid the grief, there’s a growing desire for senior levels of government to follow through on commitments made to address Islamophobia in the wake of the tragedy.

“In the face of this resilience, we continue to see aggressions against Muslims,” Nawaz Tahir, chair of Hikma Public Affairs Council told the gathered Londoners.

Tahir reminded the audience that eradicating Islamophobia requires more than words.

He called for action on past promises made by the provincial and federal governments.

“Federally and provincially, many of the submissions that were made to the National Summit on Islamophobia have not been implemented,” Tahir said. “The Our London Family Act continues to sit on the back shelf somewhere at Queen’s Park.”