Gunmen Attack Quebec City Mosque

A group of gunmen opened fire at a mosque in Quebec City during a Sunday evening prayer service. At time of writing, at least five people were confirmed dead. Roughly 40 worshippers were inside the Quebec City Islamic Cultural Center when the attack began. Police set up a perimeter surrounding the area and two suspects were arrested, but this is a late-breaking story that will have likely developed overnight. 

Quebec has suffered an increase in Islamophobia over the last two years, most notably after 2015 when the government considered banning the niqab, a Muslim face covering. The majority of Quebec City was in favor of the ban. Quebec City Islamic Cultural Center is no stranger to hate crimes, either. In June, a severed pig’s head was dropped at the mosque’s doorstep, left with the message “Bon appétit.”