Video of a woman being assaulted in Moncton, N.B., is circulating online, and police say they’re investigating the incident as a possible hate crime. Codiac Regional RCMP responded to reports of a fight involving multiple people in a parking lot on Mountain Road around 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Police refused to release any additional details about the incident, saying the investigation is ongoing. “The RCMP takes all reports of hate‑motivated incidents very seriously and our priority is to ensure that everyone feels safe and respected as hate has no place in our communities,” said Cpl. Luc Picard in a statement to CTV News. “Anyone who witnesses or is a victim of a hate crime is encouraged to contact their local RCMP detachment or police service.” Muslim groups call for thorough investigation A video of the incident circulating online appears to show one woman repeatedly hit another woman while a group of people watch. A man is seen shouting at the woman being assaulted. A small child is also seen in the video, next to the woman being struck. According to the National Council of Canadian Muslims, the woman is Muslim. The group says she was attending a car parade with her husband, father and seven-year-old son at the time of the incident. Steven Zhou, the council’s media and communications lead, says a woman in the crowd started berating the family when they sat down, and they decided to leave as things escalated. When the woman’s husband and father went to put their items in their vehicle, Zhou says a group accosted the woman and told her to go back to her country. “The wife sustained serious injuries, including a concussion, significant bruising and swelling to her forehead, eyes, and nose, injuries to her right shoulder, a laceration to her nose, and broken eyeglasses,” Zhou told CTV News. The National Council of Canadian Muslims and Moncton Muslim Association are both calling for a thorough police investigation, including whether the attack was motivated by hate. “No person should ever be targeted because of their faith, ethnicity, or background, and no child should have to witness such a traumatic experience,” said the Moncton Muslim Association in a statement. “We stand in solidarity with the victim and her family, pray for her complete recovery, and reaffirm our commitment to working alongside community leaders, elected officials, law enforcement, and residents to build a community where every person can live in safety, dignity, and mutual respect.” Officials condemn attack New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt, as well as Moncton-area government officials, have all released statements condemning the attack. “I am deeply disturbed by the violent and hateful attack against a Muslim woman in Moncton,” said Holt in a Facebook post. “To the mother, her family, and New Brunswick’s Muslim community: we stand with you. My heart is with you, and I wish you a full and speedy recovery.” Holt says no one should be targeted for their faith, and every New Brunswick resident deserves to feel safe in the province. “There is no place for Islamophobia or any form of hate in New Brunswick. Acts like this do not reflect who we are in New Brunswick,” continued Holt. “We welcome people with open hearts and open minds, and we share this province with everyone who chooses to call it home. New Brunswick is strongest when we look out for one another.” Like Holt, the councillor for Moncton Ward 4 says she too was “deeply disturbed” by the video. “There is no place for this in our community. These actions are hateful, unacceptable, and do not reflect who we are,” said Kate Doyle in a statement. “This incident is extreme, but Islamophobia doesn’t begin with physical violence. It grows through the jokes we let slide, the stereotypes we repeat, the comments we don’t challenge, and the moments when we choose silence instead of speaking up.” Doyle is urging Canadians to call out hate when they see it “even if it’s uncomfortable.” Ginette Petitpas Taylor, the MP for Moncton-Dieppe, says she was “sickened” and “outraged” after learning about the incident. “Hate motivated crimes are on the rise in Canada and we must not be silent. Our silence emboldens those who seek to divide us,” said the MP in a statement. “We are better than this and our actions as a community in Moncton and across Canada must reflect that.” Petitpas Taylor says she will be reaching out to community leaders, faith leaders, and other members of the local multicultural community to hear their concerns and engage in discussions. Moncton East MLA Alexandre Cedric Doucet says he was “deeply troubled” by the video. “This is not the Moncton I have known, nor the Moncton we strive to be,” he said. “Our community is strongest when every person is treated with dignity, respect, and humanity, regardless of their background.” With files from CTV News Atlantic’s Derek Haggett For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
