Court proceedings for man accused of assaulting Muslim man in St. Albert underway

Members of St. Albert's Muslim community gathered outside court in support of a man who says he was attacked while he was on his way home from a Mosque.

Court proceedings are underway for a man accused of assaulting a Muslim man in St. Albert last month.

Ryan Richard Lacasse, 40, has been charged with aggravated assault, uttering threats and two Traffic Safety Act offences.

Ali Wahad Noor, 56, was outside a mosque near the Muslim Association of St. Albert with his wife around 2:30 p.m. on May 1 when someone drove up to them and started calling them derogatory names and racial slurs.

RCMP received multiple calls about the incident and subsequently arrested Lacasse after getting details from witnesses at the scene.

Lacasse was released on an undertaking with conditions.

Noor was taken to hospital following the altercation and was treated for several lacerations and a chipped tooth. His wife was uninjured but was traumatized by the event.

Family spokesperson and community advocate Ahmed Abdul Kadir said the prosecutor presented the case to the court charging Lacasse on Monday.

“The reason we are here is to show our support to the victim and his family,” said Kadir outside of the St. Albert courthouse. “What happened to our brother, what happened to his family, is unacceptable.

“It could happen to all of us, and should not happen in Edmonton or St. Albert or Canada or to anyone.”

Lacasse’s next court date is scheduled for June 22.