Worshippers at a mosque in Edson said they’re not letting an apparent arson instill fear.
Instead, they’ve been feeling supported by the town since the weekend fire.
“This one event doesn't paint the town of Edson with one brush, Jocelyn Pettitt, a board member at the mosque, said.
Community leaders denounced the attack and offered support to the local Islamic community.
Pettitt said they've received countless messages and some asked how they could do more to help.
On Friday, about a hundred people attended a rally during the afternoon congregational prayer.
“Edson is a very close community. It is one community. We have a lot of interfaith dialogue with different churches,” she said. “You can see all the positive that is coming out of it and how we are all banding together.”
The fire happened after evening prayer when worshippers were still in the parking lot.
Firefighters and police were alerted to the blaze around 11 p.m. Saturday and extinguished the flames quickly.
Surveillance video from the mosque shows a person in a black sweater walking away moments after the fire started.
Police said the fire is suspicious and they’re not ruling out the possibility it was a hate crime.
“It's a time of healing, a time to get together. You know, support them and offer help wherever we can,” deputy mayor Trevor Bevan said. “If we ever needed help from them in some way, shape or form, they're going to step up and help us, too.”
The building sustained major damage at its rear entrance and minor damage inside.
“The fire was seeping into the structure and it could have caused major damage. It could have burnt down or people could have been hurt,” Pettitt said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Edson RCMP at 780-723-8800. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
With files from Bill Fortier
