 Print
A lesson to be learned from the “Hijab Hoax”
2-21-2018
Sensitivities surrounding Islamophobia runs high. What is worse is when it gets misused or abused and there lies real danger of real victims or real acts of hate crimes perpetrated against Muslim victims would not be taken seriously. At the end real victims of real hate crimes – Islamophobia – would pay the ultimate price.
There is a lesson to be learned from the “Hijab Hoax” incident in Toronto last month, making international headlines. On January 12, 2018, an 11-year-old girl claimed her hijab was cut by a scissors-wielding man as she walked to school.
Shortly afterwards, the word got out. There was a media frenzy outside her school. Toronto District School Board dispatched its media relations personnel to the school. Toronto Police, stood alongside with the Toronto Police, the child, and her parents answering questions from the media. Toronto’s Mayor, John Tory, Ontario’s Premier, Kathlyn Wynne, Prime Minster, Justin Trudeau issued statements condemning the incident.
By late evening after police had completed their investigation it was determined that there was no attack on the girl. She just made up the whole incident.
Toronto Police and TDSB were criticized for jumping to conclusion and calling a hastily organized press conference without checking their facts first.
The Toronto District School also released a statement:
“On Friday morning, Toronto Police tweeted about an initial report of an assault at the school involving a man cutting off a student’s hijab. As a result, a TDSB spokesperson was dispatched to the school, where multiple media outlets were already present and wanting to speak to the student and/or her family. At no time, did the TDSB call a press conference, however spokespeople from the TDSB and Toronto Police made themselves available to answer any questions. This was done inside the school due to the bad weather outside. After expressing concern that they were going to be approached by media outside while trying to leave, as well as a concern that no members of the community be subject to the alleged perpetrator, the family was asked if they would like to join the TDSB spokesperson as she spoke to media. The family members said they would speak to media and it was our understanding that this happened after, not before, they provided statements to police. Once again, we are very thankful that this assault did not in fact happen. Our motivation for commenting on the issue at the time was only out of compassion, care, concern and support — as did many elected leaders nationally, provincially and locally via interviews or social media.”
This entire incident was not only a poor reflection on Toronto Police, and TDSB, but also on Canadian Muslims, and Muslim organizations in general.
Some of the right-wing media took full advantage of exploiting the incident to their advantage, perpetuating their right wing anti Islamic propaganda to the max.
There is a lesson to be learned from this all. No one knows what prompted the girl to make up this whole incident. Nonetheless, in a very short period it was blown out of proportion, into an international incident of hate crime in Canada against Muslim.
The biggest fall out from it was that the girl described her attacker, the scissors-wielding man, of Asian decent. When it was confirmed that there was no such incident. Although there was no suggestion of attacker as being a Chinese man. Although there was no suggestion of attacker as being a Chinese man. The Canadian Chinese communities reacted, with protests held in all major cities across Canada, from Toronto to Vancouver, making a weak connection as an attack on Chinese Canadians, demanding the Prime Minister Trudeau, and other political leaders to apologize for publicly condemning a reported hate crime on January 12, 2018.
During this entire fiasco, one thing was completely amiss – Muslim organizations. Unfortunately, apart from NCCM in Ottawa, there does not seem to be any organization in any of the major cities, not even in Toronto who is able to field media inquiries or counter anti Islamic propaganda.
Its time that Muslim communities across Canada develop policies and procedures to handle such situations, tallying and maintaining records. It could be a national organization with local chapters or something established at local levels.
This could not have occurred at the worst time. It was close to the first anniversary of the worst Islamophobia attack in Canada, in Quebec City last year, Jan 29th. Approaching World Hijab Day, on February 1st, which on one hand breaks down false stereotypes against Muslim women as submissive. It also attracts equal controversies.
What is needed here is Muslim organizations across the nation to realize that there is much work needed in establishing advocacy groups that are able to channel the facts and counter the propaganda on Islam and Muslims in Canada.
We have mentioned on several occasions, the problem with islamophobia and such incidents are not merely one-off incident. There is a clear rise in hate crimes defined under Islamophobia and this is just the beginning and it will get bigger and far worse. If the current situation is any indication, we are not equipped to handle it now. What would happen when it gets out of hand, and it will.
Just as this incident is a poor reflection on Islam and Muslims in Canada. Although the center of attention is an 11-year old child who probably did not make of it much at the time. There certainly exists a chance it will occur again. The more such incidents happen it will hamper the efforts of authorities that are trying to counter Islamophobia. It will be treated as “like a boy who cried wolf.” The real victims will not get the attention and the care they needed.
Its time to put our heads together and come up with a solution, and come up fast, before its too late.
Footnotes:
|