B.C. legal groups and lawyers set up hotline to help victimized Muslims

VANCOUVER—Legal groups and lawyers in Vancouver have banded together to launch a hotline for Muslims who have faced discrimination in British Columbia because of their religion.

The Islamophobia Legal Assistance Hotline is supported by various organizations including the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, the B.C. branch of the Canadian Bar Association and groups that represent black, Asian and South Asian lawyers.

The groups will provide free confidential legal advice for people who have faced harassment, threats or violence because they are Muslim or were perceived to be Muslim.

They say they will document the types of issues that are being reported in order to better understand the scope of the problem in B.C.

Krisha Dhaliwal of the South Asian Bar Association of B.C. says law students have also joined the cause to combat discrimination against Muslims and other people of colour.

Hasan Alam, a lawyer who helped organize the hotline, says it’s important to ensure that people who experience hateful treatment can access help, which could include filing a complaint or contacting police