Feb. 15, 2018
By Aidan Fishman
Interim National Director
League for Human Rights
B’nai Brith Canada
VANCOUVER – A Vancouver imam is in hot water once again after he was caught condemning “the malevolent Jews” and calling for the destruction of “the enemies of Islam” at a downtown anti-Israel protest.
After a rally that took place outside the Vancouver Art Gallery on July 28, 2017, an online video shows Imam Tarek Ramadan leading attendees in an impromptu public prayer. Ramadan’s supplications quickly turn nasty, blaming Jews as a whole for endangering the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Immediately after condemning the Jews, Ramadan proceeds to pray, “Oh Allah, destroy the enemies of Islam! Oh Allah, destroy the enemies of mankind!” He goes on to say, “Allah, grant victory to your jihadist soldiers!”
Vancouver Police are looking into this latest video after B’nai Brith filed a complaint. Ramadan first became the subject of controversy in October, when a different video emerged in which he referred to Israelis as “an impure gang” and encouraged his congregants at the Kingsway Mosque administered by the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) to send “money, weapons and expertise” to the Palestinians for use in the “struggle against the Zionists.” That revelation prompted a Vancouver police investigation.
“Inciting hatred against an identifiable group is a serious criminal offence, and must be treated as such,” said Michael Mostyn, Chief Executive Officer of B’nai Brith Canada. “This episode serves as an example of what we told MPs just last week – that police departments across the country could use additional support and training in order to properly combat hate crimes.
“B’nai Brith is also concerned by the participation of others in Ramadan’s hateful rhetoric. It is shocking to see families with young children publicly responding, ‘Amen’ as a faith leader denigrates another religious community.”
