On June 6, 2021, Nathanael Veltman drove his pickup truck into a family of five in London, Ontario, resulting in the tragic deaths of Talat Afzaal, her son Salman Afzaal, and his wife Madiha Salman. Two of their young children were also harmed: only the 9-year-old boy survived. On November 16, 2023, Veltman was finally found guilty for four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder for the surviving child.
This case is not a typical murder case: it sheds light on the issues of terrorism and Islamophobia. In his interrogation with police, Veltman stated that, “It was terrorism, I’m not going to try to get a lighter sentence by saying it was just murder.” The Crown pursued this case as such.
Veltman was a self-professed white nationalist and had stated that he was against “mass immigration” and “multiculturalism.” In one of his external drives, police found manifesto titled, “A White Awakening,” where he described his political views, including that democracy is a mob rule and that there is a need for a new society where white people can exist without cancel culture. Veltman aspired to be an inspiration to young white nationalists considering violent attacks. He also wrote about harming doctors who administered abortions, and although this was not heard by the jury, he considered attacking abortion clinics and a women’s hospital in Toronto. The manifesto was heavily redacted, and some of this evidence could not be heard by the jury because it was deemed too prejudicial.
This trial marked the first time that terrorism was argued before a Canadian jury since Canada passed its terrorism laws in 2001. The Crown argued that this was an act of terrorism, which under section 83.01 of Canada’s Criminal Code is an “act or omission that is committed in whole or in part for a political, ideological or religious purpose, objective or cause,” and “one intended to intimidate the public or segment of the public.”
Michael Nesbitt, a professor at the University of Calgary, emphasized the significance of this trial in understanding the terrorism laws in Canada, and it is the only murder case involving terror allegations involving white supremacy, and one of a few recent terror-related cases where someone is accused of planning and executing their actions alone rather than as part of a group like ISIS. This case pushes the Canadian legal system to examine its terror laws and what constitutes ideology, which is an important element of proving terrorism.
According to a statement by Veltman’s defence lawyer Christopher Hicks, it is not clear if terror played a role in the jury’s verdict but that aspect of the case may be addressed at the sentencing hearing on December 1, 2023. He went on to say, regarding an appeal, that there are many live issues here and that he disputes that this was terrorism. Despite this, as the mayor of London, Josh Morgan, stated, “Each of us has an obligation, as individuals and as a society, to combat and confront hatred in all its forms.” This landmark trial pushes us to reflect on the need to build a more inclusive society, especially considering Canada’s increasing diversity.