Several thousand people joined an interfaith marched on Friday evening honouring the four members of a Muslim family who were killed in an attack last Sunday that has shocked Canada.
The four victims, spanning three generations, were killed when Nathaniel Veltman, 20, ran into them while they were out for an evening walk near their home. A fifth family member, a 9-year-old boy, survived.
People in London, Ontario marched about 7 kilometres from the spot where the family was struck down to a nearby mosque, the site close to where Veltman was arrested by police.
The attack sparked outrage across Canada, with politicians from all sides condemning the crime, spurring growing calls to take action to curb hate crime and Islamophobia.
The demonstrators, who included families with children, banged on drums while others sang John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance."
Some carried placards with messages reading 'Hate has no home here', 'Love over hate.'
People attend a vigil for the four family members who were killed in a vehicle attack that police say was motivated by anti-Muslim hate. Source: The Canadian Press
"The best part was not just the numbers ... but the diversity of the people coming from every single community in London, coming together for this cause," said 19-year old college student Abdullah Al Jarad at the march in London, Ontario.
After a moment of silence marking the time of the tragedy, representatives from several religions gave speeches denouncing hatred and saluting the outpouring of support for London's 30,000-strong Muslim community.
Other rallies or vigils in Canada on Friday took place in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec, where a shooting in a mosque left six dead in 2017.
The Afzaal family's funeral is scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau greets mourners at a vigil for the victims of the deadly vehicle attack. Source: AAP, The Canadian Press
Nathaniel Veltman, 20, has been charged with four counts of first degree murder and one count of attempted murder in the truck attack. If found guilty he faces life in prison.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called the assault - in which Veltman's truck mounted a curb and struck the Afzaal family - a "terrorist attack."
He vowed to clamp down on far-right groups and online hate.
Detective Superintendent Paul Waight, who is leading the investigation, has said there was evidence "that this was a planned, premeditated act, motivated by hate."
Additional reporting: Reuters
