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British Columbia’s attorney general has spoken out against Islamophobia after the Fleetwood Islamic Centre in Surrey discovered threatening graffiti and raw bacon placed throughout the facility over the weekend.
Threats and Vandalism Discovered During Morning Prayer
Members of the Fleetwood Islamic Academy Society arrived for morning prayers to find hateful messages written on the walls of the mosque. Phrases including “get out or die” and “Islam is trash” were among the threats left at the site.
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Attendees also found pieces of raw bacon hanging from a door handle and placed near windows — acts widely recognized as deliberate provocations targeting Muslim communities. The society confirmed it is cooperating fully with police.
Attorney General Responds
Attorney General Niki Sharma publicly condemned the attack, saying her heart goes out to the Fleetwood Islamic Academy Society and the broader Muslim community. She described the incident as a “hate incident and threats of violence.”
Sharma’s statement reflects growing concern in British Columbia over religiously motivated harassment and intimidation directed at Muslim communities.
RCMP Launches Hate Crime Investigation
Surrey RCMP confirmed they are investigating the incident as a hate crime. Officers received a call reporting the vandalism, which authorities believe took place sometime between 11 p.m. on Friday and 5 a.m. on Saturday.
The investigation remains ongoing, and police have not yet announced any arrests or identified suspects.
Community Draws Parallels to 2017 Quebec City Attack
The Fleetwood Islamic Academy Society noted that the incident carries disturbing echoes of a previous tragedy. In a statement, the society pointed out that pig matter was left in front of a mosque in Quebec City shortly before a gunman killed six worshippers there in 2017.
The comparison underscores the anxiety the Surrey Muslim community now faces. The society’s statement made clear that threats of this nature carry serious psychological weight, particularly given the history of violence that has followed similar acts of intimidation against Canadian mosques.
Community leaders are urging authorities to treat the Surrey mosque vandalism with the full seriousness the circumstances demand.
