Turkish family seeks justice for twin arson attacks on restaurant in Canada

A Turkish family is awaiting answers after their restaurant in the Canadian province of Quebec was the target of two arson attacks in just over two weeks.

Pizza Mozza, owned by three brothers of Turkish origin, was first hit on the night of August 31, resulting in minor damage. The second incident on September 2, however, destroyed the restaurant.

Berat Saymadi, one of the restaurant's owners, said the family had no prior conflicts with the local community and had very good relationships with everyone.

He recounted the night of the second fire, saying: "When I arrived, the shop was on fire. What hurt the most was seeing two years of hard work, which my three brothers and I devoted day and night to, reduced to ashes. It was emotionally very difficult."

"We hadn't received any threats prior to this. It was clearly an arson attack, and someone is definitely behind it," he added, noting that a police investigation is ongoing.

'Larger disaster could have occurred'

Saymadi noted that the motive behind the arson remains unclear, whether it is related to anti-immigrant sentiment or competition.

"We don't know what might have happened. A much larger disaster could have occurred, endangering the lives of many in the area," he said, underlining that while restaurant fires are not uncommon in the region, this incident affects the entire community.

"I believe this is an issue of public safety and impacts our ability to coexist. I want this matter to be clarified as soon as possible," Saymadi concluded.

The family has launched a fundraiser campaign to help cover the costs of rebuilding the business.

The restaurant which opened in 2022 had gained recognition, eventually earning a 4.9-star rating on social media.