After Craig Henry stabbing, Islamophobia concerns grow in Nepean

A stabbing at Nepean's Craig Henry Park on July 23 has raised concerns about Islamophobia in the neighbourhood, with residents and local officials worried that online rhetoric is unfairly blaming the Muslim community for violence in the area.

A man was stabbed when he intervened in an argument between young girls. Though the incident itself is a public safety matter, Deidre Guy, vice-president of the Craig Henry Community Association, said her primary concern is the backlash. "I know that, through the association and my exposure to this circumstance, people are looking for some place to lay blame. That is a huge factor playing into this," she said.

After the stabbing, Councillor Sean Devine posted updates on Facebook about the situation. In screenshots of comments on those posts obtained by the Ottawa Citizen — some since deleted — several users blamed Muslims and newcomers to the area for recent violence. Devine turned off comments on his July 25, 26 and 28 posts. "I was seeing a lot of anti-immigrant comments. I was also seeing tons of incorrect information. I was also seeing people posting names and information about those involved," he said.

Natasha Mott, a Manordale-Woodvale Community Association member, estimated that more than 25 per cent of the comments on Devine's posts "would bring religion into it." But Devine noted that residents have legitimate frustrations. "Residents have every right to be frustrated about violence in their community, especially when they feel that a pattern of incidents has not received an adequate response," he said. "That frustration can turn into cynicism and anger, which can lead to the kind of cultural scapegoating I was seeing online, where the actions of a few individuals become unfair judgments about entire groups."

Devine pointed out that the Craig Henry and Manordale neighbourhoods have experienced "a diverse array of public safety concerns and violent incidents in this neighbourhood for a number of years." He has called for increased police presence in both areas. An Ottawa Police Service spokesperson said the service had "fallen short" on this request, citing a lack of resources. The police service said it remains engaged with residents, businesses, community partners, and local leaders to address neighbourhood challenges and improve safety.