Worshippers arriving for morning prayer in Surrey discovered death threats painted on a mosque and pieces of raw bacon left at the entrance. Police are treating the case as a hate crime.
The Fleetwood Islamic Academy Society says members of the congregation found the damage when they arrived for prayer over the weekend. Messages including “Get out or die!” and “Islam is Trash!” were written on the walls. Raw bacon was hanging from a door handle and left near the windows.
Surrey RCMP say the incident likely happened between 11 p.m. Friday, August 29, and 5 a.m. Saturday, August 30. An investigation is underway.
Quick Facts
- Where: Fleetwood Islamic Centre, Surrey, B.C.
- When: Overnight Friday into Saturday, Aug. 29–30, 2026
- What was found: Hate graffiti and raw bacon
- Reported phrases: “Get out or die!” and “Islam is Trash!”
- Police: RCMP hate-crime investigation
- Who spoke: Society secretary Haji Asif Ali; Mayor Brenda Locke; Premier David Eby; Attorney General Niki Sharma
What the congregation found
The society’s general secretary, Haji Asif Ali, said staff and worshippers were disgusted by the discovery. The group is co-operating with RCMP and Surrey Police.
Ali said the bacon was a deliberate insult. The society compared it to pig matter left outside a Quebec City mosque before the January 2017 attack that killed six worshippers.
“We also know that these kinds of threats and similar Islamophobic acts have afflicted Muslims across the country on almost a daily basis in recent months,” Ali said in the society’s Sept. 1 statement.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims shared the statement and called for a national strategy against Islamophobia. “Enough is enough,” NCCM said.
Police investigation
Surrey police said RCMP were called after a report of a hate crime. Investigators believe the vandalism took place overnight while the building was closed.
No suspect has been publicly identified. Police have not said whether video or witnesses have been found.
The City of Surrey mayor’s office thanked the RCMP Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit for leading the file.
Mayor Locke condemns the attack
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke issued a statement on Sept. 2.
“The hateful messages and threats directed at the Fleetwood Islamic Centre are deeply offensive and heartbreaking,” Locke said. “Attempts to intimidate people because of their faith undermine the sense of safety and belonging that every resident deserves.”
“I stand with the Muslim community and the members of the Fleetwood Islamic Centre at this difficult time. I am grateful to the RCMP Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit for their work investigating this incident to ensure those responsible are held accountable.”
Provincial leaders respond
B.C. Premier David Eby also condemned the vandalism.
“No one should face threats of violence while attending their place of worship. Islamophobia has no place in B.C.,” Eby said.
Attorney General and Deputy Premier Niki Sharma said her heart went out to the society and the Muslim community after what she called a “hate incident and threats of violence.”
Sharma’s comments were carried by CBC, CTV, Global News and The Canadian Press on Sept. 1 and 2.
Why the bacon matters
Pork is forbidden in Islam. Leaving bacon at a mosque is a known form of religious insult in Canada and elsewhere. Police have investigated similar cases in B.C. in past years.
The Quebec City comparison is the society’s statement, not a police finding. The 2017 shooting remains one of the deadliest attacks on a Canadian house of worship.
Community groups say intimidation at mosques has increased. NCCM argued elected officials should meet Muslim organizations on a national plan. No new federal announcement was attached to this case as of Wednesday morning.
What happens next
RCMP are asking anyone with information, video or dashcam footage from the Fleetwood area that night to contact police.
The society said it is taking steps to keep congregants safe and urged local leaders to speak against hate. Morning prayers continued after the site was cleaned.
StudioX News will update this story if police name a suspect or lay charges.
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving diaspora communities across 44 languages. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, Unifor, NEPMCC, and the Canada Freelance Union. Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
