‘Islamophobic racism or violence should never be accepted’: Muslim man assaulted in St. Albert speaks out

A man who was assaulted outside a mosque in St. Albert spoke out about how the attack is affecting him. CTV News Edmonton's Connor Hogg reports.

A Muslim man who was assaulted on a St. Albert road near a mosque says he’s speaking out to try to bring more attention to violence towards visible minorities.

Ali Wahad Noor, who was injured a week ago when he was assaulted near the mosque at the Muslim Association of St. Albert, said at a media conference on Friday he wanted to speak about the incident because he doesn’t “want anyone else to experience this kind of hate.”

“Islamophobic racism or violence should never be accepted in our community,” Noor, 56, said at the Muslim Association of St. Albert.

Representatives from the mosque, the National Council of Canadian Muslims, and St. Albert’s mayor and MLA all spoke, denouncing the assault and expressing support for Noor.

On the afternoon of May 1, officers from the St. Albert RCMP detachment answered several calls of an assault near the intersection of Poirier Avenue and Parkwood Drive.

Witnesses gave them descriptions of the suspected assailant and his vehicle, soon leading to an arrest.

Noor was taken to hospital and treated for lacerations and a chipped tooth.

Police have charged St. Albert resident Ryan Richard Lacasse with aggravated assault and uttering threats along with two traffic offences. He is accused of assaulting Noor and is scheduled to appear in court on June 8.

Andrew Hobson, the staff sergeant major of operations for the St. Albert RCMP, said Friday at the media conference that investigators have found there “is indication that racial slurs were uttered during the assault” and that all evidence gathered has been sent to the crown prosecutors’ office. He said their investigation continues and asks anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has video footage to come forward.

RCMP say a judge must determine whether a case is hate-motivated based on evidence gathered during the investigation. If that’s the case, the court ruling could include a longer sentence.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Connor Hogg and Hannah Kavanagh