The attack on a mosque in Quebec ‘hero’ commemorates times that changed lives | Stories of Islamophobia

Quebec City, Canada – Aymen Derbali says he has made a bad decision today that he made five years ago.

A father of three had just finished praying at the Quebec Islamic Cultural Center on January 29, 2017, when he heard a loud noise outside. Soon, the once peaceful mosque was transformed an event of terrormany worshipers are desperate for cover when a terrorist starts firing into the chapel.

Mu less than two minutessix men were killed, five others – including Derbali – were seriously injured, and Muslim villages in Canada were badly shaken.

But when the incident happened that night, Derbali – who found himself between the shooter and a group of people – had just one minute to decide. “When I saw the fear behind me… I told myself, ‘I have to stop her. They will not be allowed to continue. ‘”

So Derbali waited for his first test and then ran to the shooter. He was shot seven times, including a bullet that hit his back and he paralyzed her from the chest down.

“What comforts me the most is the fact that I was trying to do something, I tried to save people. I was shot, but he could have used bullets to kill other people, “the 45-year-old told Al Jazeera in an interview at his home less than five years ago. attack.

“I was shot seven times, it ‘s not easy – but with seven more bullets at others.”

‘Physical and mental suffering’

Alexandre Bissonnette fired 48 shots during the assassination inside a large mosque in Quebec City. Many, including gunmanbelieved that Derbali would be among those killed when he collapsed in a prayer room with injuries to his leg, stomach and arm.

But he was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at the scene.ngwazi”And given thanks to the bravery he showed on a cold winter night in 2017.

Six Muslim men were eventually killed in the attack: Azzeddine Soufiane, Aboubaker Thabti, Khaled Belkacemi, Abdelkrim Hassane, Ibrahima Barry and Mamadou Tanou Barry were men, men, and friends – and their deaths have left ruins in the wreckage.

Many survivors continue to suffer emotional pain, for emotional and physical trauma is a daily reminder of what happened. “It is difficult because when I think about it, it has been five years since I lost all my energy – five years of physical and mental suffering,” Derbali said.

After two months in a coma, five and a half months in the intensive care unit, and 13 months in a physical therapy facility as well as learning to use a wheelchair, she was able to go home to her family.

He also said doctors told his wife in a coma to discontinue treatment because she could lose consciousness – and could not recognize her loved ones – and could also be paralyzed from the neck down.

But when he regained consciousness, he remembered everything and was able to move his hands.

“The biggest problem is trying to be a little skilled, to be able to do small things. I can’t even close my fingers,” he told Al Jazeera in his well-decorated room, trying to squeeze one hand to close.

If the bullet that pierced his back had been a few millimeters long, Derbali said “he would not have used my hands” – only his head. “I feel very lucky.”

Encouraging others

A Tunisian national, Derbali came to Quebec in 2001 to study for an MBA at the Universite Laval.

An IT professional, worked with Oxfam-Quebec in Bolivia for several years before returning to Quebec City. In 2010, he founded a charity that provides humanitarian assistance especially in Palestine, including helping Palestinian orphans on the Gaza Strip. He continues that work today.

Derbali continued to receive medical treatment as he adjusted to his new lifestyle. Her youngest child, a daughter who was an infant when the accident occurred, became acquainted with her in a wheelchair, she said.

But his perseverance is clearly seen, as he uses his cell phone to turn on the lights and runs smoothly in his home. In the five years since the attack, that courage has helped some survivors to cope with the traumatic aftereffects of their ordeal.

Hakim Chambaz, who survived the plot and saved the little girl’s life by shielding her from the back of a post while the bullets were fired, said seeing Derbali continue to talk about his experience gave him the courage to do the same.

In 2020, the president of Canada given Derbali and Chambaz, as well as two other survivors are Soufiane, one of the victims, with medals for bravery when intervening during the shooting.

“When I see Aymen and see other brothers who have been shot, it is very encouraging,” Chambaz told Al Jazeera. “She has been through a lot and is still there – so why should I go back? We are here and we are trying to make sure this never happens again in Quebec.”

Islamophobia

Muslims in Quebec City have surrounded the families of the victims and survivors, especially as the gunshot wounds were evident in the Bissonnette case.

A Quebec City man pleaded guilty to six counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder, and was sentenced to life in prison without parole for 40 years. The appellate court thereafter reduced its parole appeal to 25 years, but this is appealing to the Supreme Court of Canada, which is expected to hear the case later this year.

To date, people across Canada have raised funds to help rebuild their lives, including $ 310,000 ($ 400,000 in Canada) was promoted to Derbali in 2018 for him and his family to move into a home tailored to his needs.

Aymen Derbali, meanwhile, was shot seven times during a mosque attack [Courtesy DawaNet]

But Derbali said he was sometimes detained at night for fear of being beaten again – and could not protect himself and his family. “If someone attacks us, I can do nothing, I can do nothing. “I can’t defend myself, I can’t protect my family,” he said.

The key to preventing violence like what happened in the Quebec City mosque, Derbali told Al Jazeera, was to address a problem that was at stake: Islamophobia.

He was pleased with the Canadian government’s decision mention January 29 is the commemoration of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia, but he said more work needs to be done, especially when it comes to education.

He pointed to the presence of remote groupsalarming reports from local journalists, as well as the refusal of the regional prime minister to openly acknowledge Islamophobia in Quebec, as barriers to ignorance and hatred.

“What happened [at the mosque] it is a matter of fact, it does not reflect the real hospitality and openness of the Canadian people, ”said Derbali. “But it is a miracle that has awakened us to the realization that Islamophobia exists and we must fight it. [it]. ”