Media Watch

When campus security responded to an active fire alarm at the JDUC last week, they found that property had been burnt at three separate locations—one being the Ramadan banner hung outside the Queen’s University Muslim Students Association’s (QUMSA) club space.
On Oct. 23 at 1:09 a.m., campus security received notice of a fire alarm at the JDUC.
Dave Patterson, campus security director, said the papers that were ignited had burnt themselves out but there were still lingering smells of smoke.
“There were several pieces of paper that were burnt at three separate locations,” Patterson said. “The cause was burnt paper on the bulletin board on the third floor and a building floor plan. Also on the second floor, several pieces of paper were burnt.” Patterson said two students who had been working in the building saw a suspicious-looking male leaving the building.

“He appeared to be of student age, white with no facial hair or glasses, wearing a light brown hooded sweatshirt and a red cap. He was slightly above average build,” Patterson said.
The suspect wasn’t seen lighting anything on fire but Patterson said the two students who were present felt that the suspect’s presence at that time in the morning appeared to be suspicious. Read full story.

Customarily, the eve of Eid is a buzz of preparations, from cooking mouth-watering feasts and delicious desserts, to setting aside one’s best and newly ironed clothing, to cleaning up the household in anticipation of the following day’s festivities. Unfortunately for some Muslim students here at Queen’s, this cleaning extended beyond a bit of vacuuming and tidying up—they found themselves picking up the ashes of a fire that was lit just outside the club space of the Queen’s University Muslim Students’ Association (QUMSA), a space used as an on-campus prayer room.

Just beyond the entrance to the prayer space hung a medium-sized banner, wishing those entering the room and passers-by a happy and blessed month of Ramadan with the phrase Ramadan Kareem. The banner was there throughout Ramadan. Ironically, just as the month came to a close, the sign was set ablaze.

Perhaps it was a random act of drunken stupidity, but what’s more probable and regrettable is this alarming incident, one of numerous acts of vandalism at the prayer room this year alone, embodies yet another example of Islamophobia here at Queen’s.Read full story.

Information Technology Services is investigating an e-mail sent anonymously to several Qlink e-mail accounts, villifying Islam as a religion that encourages its followers to “hatred and violence.” The AMS has condemned the letter, which claimed that phrases from the Koran justify Islam’s inherent violence and called on members of all religions to “stand firm against islam [sic] and pray for these evil sinners’ enlightenment.”

Samaa Khan, Queen’s University Muslim Students’ Association (QUMSA) vice-president, said a student received the e-mail on Sept. 28 and forwarded it to QUMSA. The Association then forwarded the e-mail to the Human Rights Office and to Social Issues Commissioner Allison Williams. “From our point of view we think it’s something that is extremely hateful and disturbing,” Khan said. “These types of e-mails are not only inappropriate, they’re also unacceptable. “We felt that it’s the responsibility of the University to ensure that these types of e-mail, these types of hate-inviting material, aren’t circulated,” Khan said. “Those responsible should be traced and stopped and suitable courses of action should be taken. Read full story