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Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Mild-mannered Calgarian can take on any form, given enough time
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Islam hate hotline to ease fears Religion
Brussels attack prompts outlet for aid, comfort Aaron Chatha
Metro | Calgary
Jeff McIntosh/THE CANADIAN PRESS
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ACAD student Shahtaj Shahid said that since the attack in Brussels, the Muslim population in Calgary is living their days in fear of hate crime. “As a Muslim myself, I can tell you that most of us are tired of the anxiety and stress caused by the issue,” said Shahid. Now Muslims who are concerned or have been victims of Islamophobia have a resource for emotional assistance or to find the proper avenue to seek help.
The Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council has launched a toll-free Islamophobia Help Hotline to patch callers to volunteers within the Muslim community, including counsellors. Calgarian Shima Safwat said the hotline could help women who wear hijabs and niqabs. “I haven’t experienced anything, thank God, but my husband is telling me to take care and stay home because it’s not always safe anymore,” she said. Aurangzeb Qureshi, vicepresident of communications with the council, said it’s not a response to an increase in Islamophobia but a pre-emption. “I think it’s a way of emphasizing the fact that the Calgary public cares about the Muslim community,” she said. The hotline can be reached at 1-800-607-3312.