‘Ring of peace’ events in GTA mark one week since New Zealand shooting

A number of community groups in the GTA and beyond gathered at mosques Friday afternoon, in a show of solidarity for the Muslim community a week after an Islamophobic gunman killed 50 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Christian and Jewish communities invited everyone to create a “ring of peace” outside the Islamic Information and Dawah Centre on Bloor Street as people arrived for afternoon prayers.

Mayor John Tory takes part in the Ring of Peace event at the Islamic Foundation of Toronto, to honour the victims of the Christchurch shootings. Tory responds to the disruption by alt-right demonstrators at last evening’s vigil at City Hall. @680NEWS pic.twitter.com/3ojYXDjDlp

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— Mark Douglas (@Douglas680NEWS) March 22, 2019

Around the same time, other interfaith gatherings were held at Madinah Masjid on the Danforth and at the Baitul Islam Mosque in Vaughan.

Elsewhere in Hamilton, a vigil was held at the Hamilton Mountain Mosque, where attendees formed a solidarity circle around the mosque.

In New Zealand, people observed the Muslim call to prayer on Friday — a day that also saw the mass funeral for 26 of the victims of the rampage, including the youngest victim, three-year-old Mucaad Ibrahim.

While some congregated in Hagley Park opposite the Al Noor mosque to reflect and pray, thousands more were listening in on the radio or watching on television as the event was broadcast live. The prayer was followed by two minutes of silence.

The observance comes the day after the government announced a ban on “military-style” semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines like the weapons that were used in last Friday’s attacks.