Ninth anniversary of Quebec mosque attack; national commemoration of victims and emphasis on combating Islamophobia in Canada
Association for Defending Victims of Terrorism - Coinciding with the ninth anniversary of the deadly attack on a Quebec mosque, Canadian Islamic and academic institutions commemorated the victims and countered Islamophobia by implementing the "Green Square" campaign and lighting up buildings.
According to the Ahlul Bayt International News Agency (ABNA), Thursday, January 29, 2026, marks the ninth anniversary of the armed attack on the Islamic Cultural Center in Quebec City; an attack in which a gunman entered the mosque minutes after Maghrib prayer and opened fire on worshippers, killing six people and seriously injuring five others.
During the attack, people inside the mosque, including children, ran for their lives in a panic. Some of those killed were those who tried to stop the attacker. The incident is considered one of the deadliest hate and Islamophobic attacks in Canadian history.
In 2023, at the initiative of then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the Canadian government designated January 29 as “National Day of Remembrance for the Quebec Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia.”
Coinciding with the anniversary, the Kingston Islamic Society, Muslim organizations, and Queen’s University’s Muslim Global Perspectives group, along with their supporters, participated in the “Green Square” campaign the week of January 29. According to the Queen’s University Muslim Convergence Network, the Green Square symbolizes the green carpets of the Quebec Mosque, where the victims performed their final prayers, and is a reminder of their place in heaven.
Mona Rahman, the network’s co-coordinator, said in-person events will be limited this year, but the City of Kingston will be lighting the City Hall green to mark the national day. There will also be a virtual memorial service from 12 to 1 p.m.
Organizers emphasized that these programs aim to keep the memory of the victims alive, express sympathy for the survivors, and declare their resistance to Islamophobia and hate-based violence.
