A mosque in east-end Montreal was the apparent target of vandalism early Tuesday morning.
Police say just after 3:30 a.m., callers to 911 reported a disturbance at the Tawuba mosque on Ontario St. East.
Officers found broken windows at the front and side of the mosque and arrested a 26-year-old suspect found in the area.
The unidentified suspect could face criminal charges of hate crimes and public mischief.
The same mosque has previously been targeted, said Imam Youssouf Fofana. He said on prior occasions windows have been broken and a fire was set outside the mosque once.
He added that the mosque has always gotten along with its neighbours, making the attacks even more shocking.
"In the neighbourhood, we don't have any problems here," he said. "We have no complaints, we've been here more than 10 years. Very peaceful neighbourhood."
Fofana said the vandalism is especially worrying coming just weeks after the shooting in a Quebec City mosque that left six people dead.
"I've been to Quebec City five times since the situation happened and I feel that it's a major problem. We find that Canada and Quebec are a peaceful country but it's something that makes us worried. We are troubled and trying to understand what's behind it."
On Feb.2, the Khadijah mosque in the city's Point Saint Charles district was hit by vandalism. A 50-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to one count of public mischief and is currently undergoing a psychiatric examination.
Fofana said Islamophobia in the province has many causes.
"I think the way Muslims are portrayed by some media... It depends on information, how you inform people," he said. "I think there's ignorance about Muslims. They have suspicions. I think they need to be informed."
