In a video reportedly recorded before the shooting, Bezhani Sarvar blames inflation, multiculturalism, “wokeism,” the fighting in Gaza, and more.
Peter Smith
Canadian Anti-Hate Network
Source: City of Edmonton
A man accused of discharging a firearm and throwing Molotov cocktails in Edmonton’s City Hall released a video ahead of the incident from the front seat of his car. From there he listed a variety of reasons from people being killed in Gaza to immigrants being used as part of a multicultural agenda.
In the video, a man identified as Bezhani Sarvar wears the uniform of a commissionaire, a not-for-profit security company that staffs government buildings across Canada, he lays out a litany of reasons for his alleged actions.
“We need to rise up against the inflation, housing crisis, the unrest of this happening between us because of multiculturalism due to religion, race, and all that stuff,” he says. “This needs to come to an end with one another or anything or anyone that leads us into destruction, we must rise.”
He adds that anybody who participates in the “genocide that is going on in Gaza and throughout the world, anybody that is destabilizing other countries,” should be placed on trial.
“As immigrants, we must understand that we are part of this agenda. We’re not here for no reason. This is a manmade war. This is a man-made immigration crisis that we’re all here. But instead of hate and anger in our hearts, we must spread love, respect one another, show honesty with one another and promote pro-life and work with one another to build our economy, our country and promote strong and pro-human life.”
Sarvar is facing six charges including reckless discharge of a firearm into place, use/place/throw explosive substance, arson to property, possessing incendiary material, use of a firearm while committing an offence and careless use of a firearm.
According to the Edmonton Police Service, at approximately 10:18 a.m. on Tuesday, January, Sarvar parked his vehicle in the City Hall underground parkade and entered the building from the parkade access.
Once inside, he lit several handheld incendiary devices, which police described as “Molotov cocktails,” and caused one small fire outside an elevator.
He fired several rounds from a rifle into the ceiling, walls and windows. No one was struck by gunfire.
The male then dropped the firearm on the floor and surrendered to a Commissionaire, who detained him until police arrived moments later. EPS and RCMP Tactical teams then worked for several hours to secure and clear the building of any further threats, escorting out citizens who had been sheltering in place in various locations throughout City Hall.
Beyond the video, which was removed from YouTube shortly after it was posted, little is known about Sarvar or his motivations before he allegedly walked into city hall. He appeared briefly in bail court on Thursday, January 25, where his case was put over until February.
His statements against “wokeism” and calling immigration an agenda fit with the rhetoric and conspiracism often associated with the far-right. Conversely, his comments related to the war between Israel and Hamas as well as his use of the religious terms commonly associated with the Muslim faith, like assalamu alaykum and inshallah, have resulted in similar speculation that his motivations relate to his comments about Gaza.
The 28-year-old Sarvar, according to Global News, is employed as a commissionaire, though was not assigned to Edmonton City Hall. The Globe and Mail spoke to the CEO of the Commissionaires Northern Alberta Division, who said Sarvar had been with the company for five years, describing him as a “good and reliable” employee with no “red flags.”
Sarvar is an Edmonton resident, where he lives with his wife and three children.
Another video shows the accused in civilian clothes, a tactical vest and speaking in an as-of-yet untranslated language. In the short clip, he is holding a rifle similar to the one seen in the security footage of the attack.
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