I became aware of Councillor McFadden’s statement several days after it was published. This response is intended to clarify factual inaccuracies and address claims made about me.

A tweet made by Councillor McFadden links to an article she published, mentioning “comments about a heavily-edited video on social media”.

CONTEXT

On Wednesday March 11, my sister Ghada and I attended a town hall in Mississauga, about Ridgeway Plaza. This plaza opened in 2022, close to our home, and has since become a community hub for Muslims, South Asians, and Arabs. Now, according to a recent New York Times article, Ridgeway has over 120 restaurants and is called the "largest halal food market in North America.”

While our neighbourhood previously felt very suburban and dead, it is now filled with life, laughter, and joy. My friends come from downtown Toronto wanting to explore different parts of this plaza. We have visitors from other Canadian cities and provinces, and from abroad. People walk around Ridgeway in traditional attire and kuffiyehs, the youth with their friends and the elderly with their families. In the summer months, uncles and aunts pull up lawn chairs and find places to sit down and enjoy the atmosphere.

Mississauga article claims that Ridgeway Plaza is like “the Wild West” due to its alleged “garbage, poor traffic control and late-night parties.

Unfortunately, this plaza has received significant negative criticism. While some of this criticism is valid, such as parking issues, much of it is steeped in racism. The onus is on the city to carefully review plans before approving them. The city has allowed this many restaurants to be established so close to one another, with little parking space when public transportation in the area is unusable, and the adjacent roads, such as Ninth Line, do not have useable sidewalks leading to the plaza. Add to that the lack of stop signs in the plaza (more have been added recently) and the little to no crosswalks, of course this design is dangerous, but it is dangerous to the Muslim-majority frequenters of this plaza.

The parking “chaos” at this plaza is totally avoidable. Four years later, these issues persist not because of the frequenters of the plaza, but due to a lack of political will. The city councillors whose jurisdictions are most impacted by Ridgeway, Ward 8 Councillor Matt Mahoney and Ward 10 Councillor Sue McFadden, are both White. One must wonder if this were to be a White dominated plaza, with White families frequenting it, staying late, and boosting the economy, if it would have caused the same uproar? Would its issues have been dismissed or deflected onto the plaza’s owners as is the case with Ridgeway?

This plaza has made multiple points clear:

This neighbourhood has a large and successful Muslim population.
This Muslim population seeks a safe space for community gatherings, celebrations, and Halal food spots.
In a time when the economy is crashing, frequenters of this plaza are willing to come and spend large sums of money, boosting the local economy when it is needed most.
This plaza and its people are going nowhere, as the plaza looks only to expand with hotel proposals.

tOWN hALL

One day, while driving home, my sister spotted a sign that said there would be a town hall coming up regarding Ridgeway Plaza. Familiar with a lot of uproar about the plaza, mostly from non-Muslim community members, we sought to attend to learn of any updates regarding the space. When we went to register on the website, we found that the registration was closed. We also noted the timing of the event, 7 pm on Wednesday March 11, minutes before iftar time at 7:19 pm. We asked ourselves, are they really having a town hall about halal plaza without Muslims? Could they not wait an extra two weeks to hold this event? We decide to try going and talking to the front desk, to see if they would let us register at the door. We went in good faith to the community centre where the event was held, which was walking distance from our home. Sue McFadden is our city councillor and as residents we had the right to attend this town hall.

A Sue McFadden sign upon entry to the Churchill Meadows Library and Older Adult Centre, March 11, 2026.

My sister and I told ourselves we would try to register at the front and if it didn’t work, we would go home and break fast with our family, as we were genuinely tired at this point. We went to the assistant at the front, informed her that we had not registered but asked it it was possible to register there. She said that there are still spaces available and took my information and let us enter. We took our seats, and we immediately noticed a very White crowd that was not representative of local demographics. I would later learn from McFadden that 70% of the Ward is in fact Muslim.

We heard updates about the plaza from McFadden, other city officials, and police who described it as “traumatizing,” a “target,” and a “safety” concern. Throughout the event, there was an emphasis on a supposed lack of “safety” at the plaza, though I have only felt very safe there. I wonder what makes this White-dominated audience feel so unsafe about this Muslim-frequented plaza?

Then, the event continues, and the hostility by the crowd increases. When proposals of the plaza expanding are brought up, the crowd makes sure their displeasure is heard. From the beginning, there was no “decorum” and it was clearly an unsafe space for any attendee who liked the plaza.

Crowd listening to speaker at Ridgeway town hall. March 11, 2026.

Q&A pERIOD

During the Q&A session, various people took to the floor with their questions and comments. The first person was a Ridgeway Plaza store owner, who asked if there was similar uproar by residents directed against Celebration Square and Heartland Town Centre, pointing out these locations in Mississauga also get busy and loud. His comment received an angry reaction from the crowd. Another person stated how she is scared she will get hit driving in the area of the plaza because someone can hit her from behind in a rush to get a shawarma.

I decided to raise my hand to ask a question and was selected: why is this town hall happening at a time when Muslims are breaking their fast and issues discussed mainly pertain to them? I also shared my experience with the plaza, one of happiness, safety, and love, to give a contrasting perspective to the negative ones being shared. I wanted to be a voice for the people who were not able to be there, because of the time selected for this meeting. As I was speaking, I was yelled at by people around the room, especially by a White man sitting right in front of me. My sister and another attendee started to film the incident as insults were being hurled at me. Ghada moved closer to me as she worried about my safety and did not feel I was being protected in the room. While I could feel and see my hand shaking and my heart pounding, while hungry and dehydrated as I had yet to eat, aside from a date I brought with me to the event, I tried to express my few thoughts. I suggested ideas to improve the plaza, such as pedestrianizing it by building an underground parking garage, and creating a square for people to gather and celebrate. However, my words were barely heard above yells of “take the microphone from him,” sarcastic exclamations “everything is racist,” and interjections of “public safety!”

Truly, I was stunned. I wrapped it up and went to take a seat. Neither the city officials or police responded to my comment and question, despite having responded to everyone else’s questions, comments, and statements. My sister then voiced her disappointment with the lack of response from the officials, their failure to intervene as Islamophobic and racist comments were directed at me, and the fact that Muslims were not accommodated during this meeting. Another attendee then mockingly offered my sister alcohol to break her fast.

We tried to console each other and de-escalate the situation, though my sister wanted to leave. As residents, we did not feel safe or heard. The police which claims to protect us did nothing to ensure my right to freedom of speech was protected. After the event finished, we were approached by various individuals who apologized to me for what the attacks I faced, including City Councillor Alvin Tedjo. Even Councillor McFadden saw me, we chatted, and she offered to meet with me for a chai and chat at Ridgeway. I accepted her invite and told her I was looking forward to our meeting.

Video

Shaken, knowing the people who live amongst us, my sister and I went home after the event and took some time to rest and reflect on how to proceed. We made the decision to publicly share what happened at the town hall, as we felt it was important for people to see the racism that exists among us today and the level of hate and anger towards this plaza and towards Muslims. As Instagram suggests a 3 minute video maximum, I spoke in the first part of the video to give context about Ridgeway Plaza and then I shared clips that I had received from the video, all to fit within the recommended 3 minute timeframe. After I posted the video on Instagram, TikTok, and X, it quickly got reactions from community members who were enraged with the display of racism and hostility displayed at the town hall. Nowhere, however, in the video, did I attack Councillor McFadden, nor did I share her email address, phone number, or ask people to contact her.

Comments

Councillor McFadden’s Response

On March 13, one day after I uploaded the video in which I discuss and show footage documenting my experience at the Ridgeway town hall, Councillor McFadden published a statement onto her website with multiple false accusations against me, harming my reputation. As McFadden has since changed the wording of her statement, below are screenshots with the original wording followed by her updated wording. I initially found out about this statement after learning from a Ridgeway shop owner, after they had a phone call with McFadden about my video, that she told them that I was a “paid actor” and to read her statement.

A concerned resident tells my sister Ghada that Councillor McFadden said that I am a “paid activist and stirring issues” after he raised concerns about the town hall to her.

Screenshot captured on Sunday March 15 at noon.
ALT Text:
I have received several phone calls, emails and text messages with concerns about a video taken at the meeting and posted to social media. I am not posting a link to the video here, but I will comment on it.
The incident captured in the video is regrettable, and the aggressive tone and outburst of a resident toward a young adult named Khaled, (the speaker and poster of the video) was uncalled for and out of line. Despite **Khaled’s comments not being on topic** with the focus of the meeting, he (**pronoun assumed**, with apologies) **was permitted to share his comments and entitled to respect and civility in doing so**.
However, what was included in the video does not tell the whole story. **The video posted online is heavily edited to portray a narrative that suits Khaled’s worldview and bias**, and does not give an accurate account of the situation. **The incident was short-lived and decorum was restored in a matter of seconds and continued for the rest of the meeting**. **The video does not show the facilitator of the meeting directing the resident to be quiet**. Nor does it show the facilitator giving the resident a warning to refrain from such outbursts or he would be removed from the meeting. **Nor does it show the facilitator admonishing the entire assembly to adhere to respectful discourse or the meeting would be adjourned.** Nor does it show the Peel Police Superintendent reiterating a call for calm. **This all took place within 60 seconds of Khaled completing his remarks. Order was restored; the meeting carried on without further incident.**

Screenshot captured on Sunday March 15 at noon.
ALT Text:
“his remarks. Order was restored; the meeting carried on without further incident.
Furthermore, it has come to light that Khaled may quite possibly be using this opportunity to advance his own personal business by intentionally setting up a situation—video camera at the ready—that could spark a disorderly response from his detractors and devolve into what could turn into a viral social media post for his consulting business. A self-described “Muslim & Queer Palestinian activist-scholar who devotes his life to anti-oppression work,” Khaled seems to be looking to **gain personal advantage by attending this meeting, despite not having registered in advance, and delivering what some would deem inflammatory remarks.**
All this to say, please use critical thinking and, especially in this day and age, don’t believe everything you see or share on social media.”

My response

Councillor McFadden’s statements are deeply hurtful to my reputation. Accusing me of being a “paid activist” and making excuses for the racial attacks I experienced in her town hall, are unacceptable. She released a statement that erased and denied the racism I experienced at her town hall, saying false information to bring down my image, rather than taking accountability.

“Khaled may quite possibly be using this opportunity to advance his own personal business by intentionally setting up a situation—video camera at the ready—that could spark a disorderly response from his detractors and devolve into what could turn into a viral social media post for his consulting business.”

Accusation 1: McFadden accuses me of bringing a camera, having a personal business, and of intentionally trying to set up a situation to “spark a disorderly response” and to get a “viral social media post” for my “business.”

Facts: I brought no camera with me. I was filmed by my sister by her phone once she saw the racist hecklers attack me. I do not own a business. I am a resident of Ward 10, Sue McFadden is my City Councillor. I care a lot about Ridgeway Plaza as I am a frequent customer and I attended to learn updates about this plaza.

“Khaled seems to be looking to gain personal advantage by attending this meeting, despite not having registered in advance, and delivering what some would deem inflammatory remarks.”

Accusation 2: McFadden accuses me of not having registered for the meeting, saying that I am looking to get personal gain from attending and purposefully making inflammatory remarks to trigger a response.

Facts: I showed up at the town hall and registered with Councillor McFadden’s assistant at the door, who took all of my information and invited my sister and I to sit and to attend the event. I did not gain any material gain by attending the meeting nor did I seek to deliver inflammatory remarks. I sought to share my experience at Ridgeway Plaza.

“The video posted online is heavily edited to portray a narrative that suits Khaled’s worldview and bias, and does not give an accurate account of the situation. The incident was short-lived and decorum was restored in a matter of seconds and continued for the rest of the meeting. The video does not show the facilitator of the meeting directing the resident to be quiet. Nor does it show the facilitator giving the resident a warning to refrain from such outbursts or he would be removed from the meeting. Nor does it show the facilitator admonishing the entire assembly to adhere to respectful discourse or the meeting would be adjourned. Nor does it show the Peel Police Superintendent reiterating a call for calm. This all took place within 60 seconds of Khaled completing his remarks.Order was restored; the meeting carried on without further incident.”

Accusation 3: Councillor McFadden accuses me of highly editing the video to suit my worldview and bias. She says decorum was restored in a matter of seconds and continued all meeting. The city councillor says the video does not show the facilitator of the meeting directing the the resident attacking me to be quiet, and saying he would be removed from the meeting. She says the facilitator admonished the entire assembly or the meeting would be adjourned. She says this all took place within 60 seconds of me completing my remarks and that there were no incidents after.

Facts: I did not edit the video to suit my worldview and bias. I do not have a full video of the incident as my sister started filming halfway into it, after the attacks against me had already started. I also had to make some cuts to make sure the video was within a 3-minute timeframe, as required by Instagram guidelines for video time limits for the video to circulate. The video does in fact show the facilitator directing the resident to be quiet. However, the facilitator did not tell the resident that he would be removed from the meeting. Also, the facilitator did not admonish the assembly to adhere to respectful discourse “or the meeting would be adjourned.” This did not all take “place within 60 seconds” of me completing my remarks. Order was not restored, there were more incidents. Shortly after, when my sister asked why officials did not answer my question, like they did with all other residents, my sister got insulted, attacked, and yelled at. Throughout the event, attendees were hostile, yelling or mocking the plaza and its visitors, and making racist claims, such as insinuating that plaza frequenters are violent and that people wanting to get a shawarma are a threat to road safety.

“Despite Khaled’s comments not being on topic with the focus of the meeting”

Accusation 4: My comment was off topic.

Facts: How was my question about the timing of this meeting at iftar time off topic? How were my suggestions about building a parking garage, pedestrianizing the plaza, and saying how I feel safe at Ridgeway, off topic? This event was about Ridgeway Plaza.

“he (pronoun assumed, with apologies) was permitted to share his comments and entitled to respect and civility in doing so… A self-described ‘Muslim & Queer Palestinian activist-scholar who devotes his life to anti-oppression work’”.

What is the attempt with this statement? Is she trying to push my Queer identity into this, to turn my Muslim community against me? She even cites me saying my pronouns, “his life to anti-oppression work” but then says “he (pronoun assumed, with apologies)”. This framing risks encouraging misinterpretation and hostility toward me.

Councillor McFadden’s Modified Statements

Changes Part 1:

Councillor McFadden softens her tone against me. She removed "personal business" langauge against me but shifted her accusation about me as being "other motivation", and calling me an "opportunistic, social media influencer." Still hostile. She also added an apology, saying, "To you, Khaled... i am truly sorry for your experience." And rather than the previous text which said I edited the video "to portray a narrative that suits [my] worldview and bias' she said the video suits "a one-sided worldview and bias."

Now, I am no longer an “opportunistic” social media influencer but simply a “social media influencer”. She softens her tone to sound less accusatory and more defensible, though this statement still does a poor job of that.

Since this statement was made, Councillor McFadden expressed via another councillor that she wanted to meet with me in person, but I said that I would accept to meet with Councillor McFadden on the following conditions:

She retract her statement about me.
Publicly apologize for the false accusations that she has made about me.
Apologize to the Muslim community for diminishing their very valid grievances about the town hall.

The meeting with her never occurred. These remain my three demands for correcting the harm that the Councillor has done. I am open to dialogue and to re-bridging our ties, but I must see genuine intention from the Councillor to work with her Muslim community (making up 70% of her Ward, according to her), her residents, and taking accountability of her harm, to see good faith from her so I can trust to meet with her.

Screenshot captured on March 30, 2026, shows new changes. Keeping this for reference if she continues to modify the article.

Conclusion

The statements made about me are serious, and they have real consequences. That is why it is important to respond with clarity and facts. I stand by what I experienced and what I have presented here. I will continue to speak honestly and advocate for respectful, accountable leadership in our community. I hope this response helps bring clarity, and I remain open to constructive dialogue moving forward.

Responding to False Accusations Made by Councillor McFadden