Calgary was one of six Canadian cities to endorse a charter Monday vowing to eliminate anti-Muslim hate crimes, as community leaders expressed concern about a rise in the number of Islamophobic hate crimes. Teen speaks outOther cities signing the charter include Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, Windsor and London. Calgary resident Sarah Buzreba, 16, spoke out in favour of the new Charter for Inclusive Communities after becoming a victim of an Islamophobic attack. Statistics Canada says hate crimes targeting Muslims have increased, with 99 incidents reported in 2014, roughly double the number in 2012. In March, the Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council started the 1-800-607-3312 hotline to help people report incidents of vandalism or discrimination related to Islamophobia.

Source: CBC News July 04, 2016 23:15 UTC