Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered his condolences to the victims of Sunday’s attack and called it an “act of evil.”
Thousands of people thronged Oxford Street at a mosque to show solidarity in a vigil for the victims of a vehicle assault that left a Muslim family of four dead and injured a young boy. The event began around 7:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the London Muslim Mosque.
Several government dignitaries, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, London Mayor Ed Holder and other politicians attended the two-hour vigil that was broadcast on Facebook.
On Sunday, a man ran a black pickup truck over the family of five at a London intersection, killing four of them and wounding a boy.
The deceased include a 46-year-old man, his 44-year-old wife, a 15-year-old girl, and her 74-year-old grandmother. Their nine-year-old son is under treatment at a hospital for serious injuries.
“You are not alone. All Canadians mourn with you and stand with you, tonight and always,” Trudeau said, acknowledging the telling effect of Islamophobia on Muslims across Canada. “Islamophobia is real. Racism is real. You should not have to face hate in your communities, in your country. We can and we will act. We can and we will choose a better way.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed his grief for the family and the community at large. “What happened here in London is a tragedy beyond words,” he said in an emotional message.
“It was an act of terrorism against a family targeted for their religion. This type of racism and terrorism cannot and will not be tolerated.”
London Mayor Ed Holder slammed Sunday’s events as “an act of mass murder, and a grotesque expression of hatred rooted in Islamophobia.” He called for love and support for Muslims.
“I’d like to ask you, my Muslim brothers and sisters, to look over your shoulders on this night. Look at the support, the compassion, and the empathy. Look over your shoulders, and see that you are surrounded by love; love from your fellow Londoners, and love from fellow human beings. This love is unwavering, and unconditional. It is with you always,” he noted.
