CAEF letter to the Mayor of Edmonton re antisemitic, anti-Canadian elements of Muslimfest in Edmonton

Dear Mayor Amarjeet Sohi;

The upcoming Muslimfest is badly tainted with its celebration of Jew hatred, as evidenced by this poster' content: .."honoring the courageous protesters and dedicated students in university encampments." Surely, the celebration of illegal behaviour is not what Edmonton wants to showcase. See more below.

The song and the poster make it clear that the Muslimfest message is entirely about hatred towards Jews and Israel, a totally divisive message for Canadians, and an insult to the integrity of the rule of law. Canada stands by its ally Israel, despite disagreeing occasionally, but the encampments were acts of hatred resulting in unchallenged property damage, trespassing, discrimination against fellow Canadians on grounds of faith and ethnicity. No university considers the perpetrators of public disorder to be courageous, to be just, or to be brave. The campus marauders did serious damage across the country to property, to the reputation of the universities, to the safety of Jewish faculty and students, to the multicultural credibility of Canada.  There was no honour in their despicable destructive temper tantrums, nor did the students succeed in accomplishing anything, least of all anything positive for people in Gaza.

A song that revels in lies, that commemorates a massacre of innocents--babies, women, elderly, girls and boys as well as unarmed men, is hardly worthy of a city festival.The people in Gaza are themselves sick of Hamas, are being killed by Hamas if they reach for aid, aid provided now by Israel and the US, no longer by the Hamas infested UNRWA.

The City of Edmonton must take steps to "liberate" the children of this hate that is perpetuated by Islamists, and is being supported by the organizers of Muslimfest.

Additionally, Muslimfest lists Imam Wisam Sharieff as a speaker. Sharieff is a convicted child abuser  and the MUSLIMFEST media network continues to host videos produced by the convicted child abuser.

Imam Wisam Sharieff after his arrest and conviction for child abuse ought not to be allowed to enter or address Canadians. His influence should not be expanded and his life not exemplified.

Al Jazeera, an Islamist media,  has this to say of Sharieff:

 "The recent arrest and consequent indictment of prominent Texas imam, Quran teacher, and AlMaghrib Institute instructor Wisam Sharieff on multiple child sexual exploitation charges have ignited a firestorm within the Muslim American community and kick-started an important discussion relating to religious teachings, ethics and community accountability.

Many, including leading scholars and representatives of prominent institutions, responded to the harrowing allegations and damning evidence put forward by the FBI rightly by acknowledging that abuse and exploitation affect our community like any other, and emphasising the importance of improving child safeguarding in all contexts and settings."

Read indictment: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndal/pr/two-individuals-charged-conspiracy-sexually-exploit-children

The Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation urges you to halt the Muslimfest program, condemn the hatred that is being promoted, and investigate the possible radicalization of Muslim youth that is inherent in the elements of Muslimfest that are herein exposed.

Regards,

Andria Spindel

Executive DirectorCanadian Antisemitism Education Foundation