An investigation into what Mountis called a “very disturbing incident” outside a mosque in Surrey this week found it was not a hate crime, police said in a statement.
On Saturday, the Surrey RCMP issued a statement saying their investigation found that those responsible for throwing water at worshipers from a passing car and nearly hitting them were “teenagers who are part of the Muslim community.”
The investigation began Thursday when police were called to 24th Street and 72A Avenue near Surrey Jamea Masjid after evening prayers ended.
No criminal charges are recommended. One way to potentially resolve the case, police said in a press release, is to pursue alternative measures, “using a restorative justice approach that will allow all parties to come together and express the impact this incident has had on them. and the larger community. “
While ruling out the possibility that it was a “racially motivated hate crime”, Assistant Commissioner Brian Edwards said it was still crucial to report and investigate the incidents.
“The RCMP acknowledges that any incidents such as the one initially considered a hate crime are traumatic for our community,” he said in a statement.
“However, once it was discovered that the nature of the incident was not motivated by hatred, it was important for us to keep the public up to date … The RCMP in Surrey takes allegations of bias offenses very seriously.”
Shortly after the incident, the Muslim Association of British Columbia issued a statement saying it was “seriously concerned” about what had happened, noting that the targets came out of evening prayers and wore traditional clothing.
The attack took place days before Eid al-Fitr, a religious holiday marking the end of Ramadan.
The association said the incident was particularly worrying in light of last year’s terrorist attack in London, Ont., Which killed four members of a Muslim family.
Edwards said he had personally updated the president of the organization, describing it as “a positive discussion about the outcome of this event, as well as our common goal of ensuring the safety of all communities, including our Muslim residents.”
With files from Andrew Wichel of CTV News in Vancouver
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