London city council briefs: anti-Islamophobia plan, new deputy city manager

A plan to “disrupt Islamophobia” in London earned unanimous support from city council Tuesday night. Mayor Ed Holder declared it just the start of the work to heal from the fatal hit-and-run that killed four members of the Afzaal family in what police allege was an intentional attack because of their Islamic faith. “What happened the eve of June 6, 2021, was London’s darkest hour. From that moment onward, there could be no question, racism existed in our city. Hatred had managed to take root. There was no way to deny we were somehow immune to the potential of deadly violence,” Holder said. The wide-ranging plan includes a tribute to the Afzaal family, a youth fellowship program and an advisory council to oversee the work, among many other goals. Read More