A lot has been said about the murder of Sharif. I was horrified by the news when I heard it. I am still horrified that this could happen in our downtown. On the other hand, I am proud of how our community immediately stepped up to mark his fight for life and then his death, to support his family, and to stand up against this kind of violence.

People are hoping that his killers will be brought to justice. Someone knows who committed this violence. The two men, their friend, someone who would recognize the photo, the car. Somewhere, three men are dealing with guilt. What will that process look like? Will one of the three step forward? Will family or friends notice their turmoil and step in, step up?

There are a couple helpful conversations going on about safety in the downtown. There are Facebook posts encouraging people to eat out at a downtown restaurant every night this week. Concerns about downtown safety are being expressed in ways that more people are hearing them. A conversation has begun about setting up CCTV cameras for surveillance of the downtown streets. If we had that kind of surveillance, a shot of the men’s faces might then be available, making them easier to identify. Although, such cameras catch people; they don’t prevent the violence. Still, paying attention to Owen Sound’s downtown is a good thing.

The comments about homeless people in the downtown are not helpful. The men who committed this violence are not homeless. They may have planned to dine and dash. They may be strapped for cash. But decently dressed, eating out, owning a car suggests they are relatively okay financially. I have been asked for water by a homeless person. I saw a vendor at the farmers market go out of their way to give a homeless person food. Fortunately, the comments about homeless people making the downtown unsafe are petering out.

Was the attack racially motivated? It certainly has to be one of the questions we ask. While there is a lot of support for the Ukrainian refugees who are staying in our area, and there is active support for Syrian refugees and other immigrants of colour in our community, there is also an undercurrent of racism around us. The slurs are often hidden in a sentence about the housing crisis or a comment about the “Liberal policy agenda”. Do we speak up when someone says something that blames racialized people for the ills around us?

It is good to stand up after the fact, when murderous violence is committed. But standing up after the fact is late. We need to address the underlying causes now. I do think that the massive support that has been shown says to our wider community that this kind of violence is unacceptable. Lining the route from the mosque to the cemetery was a powerful statement. But we need to keep up these statements.

And we need long memories. When the Saugeen Ojibway Nation won the right to a subsistence fishery, a section of our community erupted in anger. There was a protest at the market that threatened the women selling fish there. Fortunately, news of the intended protest leaked out and a group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people surrounded the fish stall to protect the women. My now-adult children remember it well because the bag of fish guts thrown at the women landed at their feet.

At the time there were vitriolic verbal attacks against the native fisherfolk. There were strong statements of support as well, though these were quieter voices. The result? A fishing boat was burned. An Indigenous man was stabbed in Owen Sound’s downtown.

Recently, an upstanding citizen of Grey County said in a United Church meeting, “Why are we talking about the natives again?” This was a reaction to a particular decolonizing action being undertaking by the United Church. But the comment shows that, for some, expressing a clearly racist sentiment in public seems okay.

It is not okay. And we need to say so, not just for the next few weeks but in the months and years to come. And we need to have a measured conversation about safely in the downtown. And we need to support Sharif’s family as they and we mourn his death. And ... more.

Cathy Hird lives on the traditional territory of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation.

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