Mississauga publication criticized for Islamophobic, baseless claims

Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie and community members are condemning an article posted online by a local publication that they say contains several Islamophobic and baseless claims.

Entitled Bonnie’s Muslims Are Molesting Teenage Girls in Mississauga Highschools(sic), the article was posted on the Mississauga Gazette’s website Friday by editor-in-chief Acton Michaels.

“Bonnie Crombie is helping convert Mississauga to Islam so that they can kill her son just for being gay,” Michaels claimed in the article.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Bonnie Crombie is helping convert Mississauga to Islam so that they can kill her son just for being gay," Michaels claimed in the article.

“(Crombie) won’t rest until all girls in Mississauga are victims of rich rapists,” he wrote, adding allegations that Muslim boys in high schools assaulting girls is a common occurrence.

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Crombie addressed the controversial claims Sunday.

“They have no place in Mississauga, or in any civil society quite frankly,” she told Global News, adding she has filed a complaint with Peel Regional Police and is considering legal action.

“The allegations have a racist and homophobic tone, and they’re flat out lies.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The allegations have a racist and homophobic tone, and they're flat out lies."

The Peel District School Board issued a statement on the alleged assaults.

“The allegations about inappropriate incidents at Rick Hansen Secondary School are false, full stop,” the statement read.

“In the past two years, the alleged incidents have not been brought forward by any student.”

Meanwhile, the National Council of Canadian Muslims called the article “hateful towards the Muslim community.”

“Hate just breeds more hate,” Abbas Kassam, a board member with the organization, told Global News.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Hate just breeds more hate," Abbas Kassam, a board member with the organization, told Global News.

“That article was full of it, and that’s why I think it’s dangerous and problematic.”

Michaels has subsequently issued a statement saying he and his organization have been the subject of death threats.

“I have taken this article down for now as I don’t want violence brought upon my team. Journalists and columnists should be free to report on the news in Canada without fearing for their lives.”

Ashley Molnar contributed to this report.