After Toronto police concluded that an 11-year-old girl in a hijab was never attacked by a stranger wielding scissors, critics are questioning her school鈥檚 decision to hold a news conference where she told reporters her story.
Surrounded by her family, the Grade 6 student appeared in front of TV cameras and answered questions from a throng of reporters at Pauline Johnson Public School in Scarborough late last Friday, hours after she claimed the incident occurred, and after the Toronto District School Board contacted police and her family.
Police initially announced they were investigating the incident as a hate crime, sparking outrage in Canada and abroad as several political figures weighed in, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who declared: 鈥淭hat is not what Canada is.鈥�
However, upon further investigation, Toronto Police Service spokesperson Mark Pugash announced on Monday that the incident 鈥渄id not happen.鈥�
After that revelation, psychologist Dr. Oren Amitay was among those questioning the Toronto District School Board for giving the media access to the girl.
鈥淚鈥檝e been involved in a number of issues where the school board, acting with the best of intentions but being driven by political correctness and virtue-signalling, has made some wrong calls,鈥� he told 麻豆影视 Channel on Monday.
Amitay suggests the story may have been pushed forward by an overeager school official who wanted to do the progressive thing, but didn鈥檛 take the time to properly vet the girl鈥檚 account.
鈥淭his was definitely the wrong call,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd whoever allowed it to go forward should be held accountable in some capacity.鈥�
Crime specialist and former Toronto police officer Steve Ryan suggested the news conference put the girl in over her head.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e paraded out in front of all these cameras and what is an 11-year-old to do?鈥� he said. 鈥淣ow she鈥檚 committed to this story. How does she now go back on that story when you鈥檙e facing all these cameras, and you鈥檙e facing all these questions?鈥�
The Toronto District School Board says it did not organize a formal press conference for the girl.
鈥淥ur motivation for commenting on the issue at the time was out of compassion, care, concern and support,鈥� the TDSB said in a statement on Monday. The school board said it was doing the same as 鈥渕any elected leaders鈥� at all levels via interviews and on social media.
Digital media strategist Mark Blevis says the story鈥檚 initial popularity, as well as its harsh turn after it was revealed to be false, shows just how quick people are to jump to politically-motivated conclusions.
鈥淲ith outrage culture there鈥檚 this big movement towards piling on,鈥� he told CTV Ottawa.
The revelation touched off a second wave of outrage from critics, with some targeting the girl with hateful comments online.
The backlash has sparked fears among Muslims that it will inspire more discrimination in the future.
鈥淭his will probably be used as an opportunity to downplay all the times that Muslims come out and speak out against Islamophobia,鈥� Sabrine Azraq, of the Canadian Council of Muslim Women, told CTV National News.
Azraq says it鈥檚 important to push back against the anger generated by the false story, saying it should not be allowed to 鈥渄erail the very serious matters that are happening in this country.鈥�
Human rights activist Amira Elghawaby echoed Azraq鈥檚 concerns, adding that she hopes it does not discourage hate crime victims from reporting real incidents.
鈥淲hen someone feels that they鈥檝e been victimized they should not be afraid to come forward to the police,鈥� Elghawaby told 麻豆影视 Channel.
She added that the Muslim community is feeling particularly sensitive at the moment, with the anniversary of the Quebec City mosque massacre approaching on Jan. 29.
鈥淧eople are thinking about that,鈥� she said. 鈥淯nfortunately, we do have true cases that have occurred and this really came at a time when there鈥檚 a lot of anxiety.鈥�
Elghawaby also pointed out that the girl is quite young, and children have made up such stories in the past.
鈥淪he鈥檚 just an 11-year-old girl,鈥� Elghawaby said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 also something that we have to remember as we try to understand.鈥�
Sabreena Ghaffar-Siddiqui, of the Canadian Council of Muslim Women, also urged people to take the girl鈥檚 age into account. She pointed out that the incident was fabricated by an 11-year-old, not an adult leader in the Muslim community.
鈥淲e need to keep reminding ourselves that we are talking about a child here,鈥� told CTV Toronto.
With files from CTV Toronto and CTV Ottawa
