Family, advocates condemn assault on Muslim man at hotel in Markham, Ont.

The family of a Muslim hotel worker seriously injured in an alleged hate-motivated assault says the attack in Markham, Ont., has left them fearful as the National Council of Canadian Muslims warns of a sharp increase in hate crimes against the community.

Steven Zhou, a spokesperson for the advocacy group, says the Sept. 28 attack left the victim with a fractured skull, a displaced eye and broken teeth.

The man’s wife says she is speaking out because she doesn’t want another family to go through the same nightmare and no other wife should have to pray for her husband to “survive an act of hate.”

The wife did not provide her name at a press conference held today, with organizers saying the family is worried about their safety.

York Regional Police have said they are investigating the assault at a Markham hotel as hate-motivated and a suspect has been arrested in the case.

Police allege an intoxicated hotel guest became aggressive after his credit card was declined when he tried to pay for his room, and his “demeanour changed” when he learned that the hotel employee was Muslim.

Investigators allege the 31-year-old suspect threatened to kill the 54-year-old employee and then chased him to a room where he attacked him violently.

Ottawa’s special representative on combating Islamophobia Amira Elghawaby says it wasn’t an isolated case and such attacks have become more frequent, demanding “urgent immediate action” to address the issue.

She says the severity of the Markham assault has shaken her to the core.

Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti also said he was shocked and deeply saddened by the “vicious attack.”

He said he stands in solidarity with the victim’s family, assuring the broader Muslim community that “your safety, your dignity, your sense of belonging is not negotiable.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 9, 2025.

Sharif Hassan, The Canadian Press