Turkish Canadian family restaurant hit by arson attacks

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) – A Turkish Canadian family-owned restaurant in Quebec's Oka village was the target of two arson attacks in just over two weeks, with the second fire causing significant damage.

Pizza Mozza, owned by three brothers of Turkish origin, was first hit on the night of August 31, resulting in minor damage.

Berat Saymadi, one of the owners, told local media that the first arson incident did not result in much damage.

However, on the night of September 2, the restaurant was struck again, and the local police received an alert after midnight. The second incident caused significant damage to the restaurant due to flames.

Although the local police are investigating the two incidents, no suspects or perpetrators have been identified.

"It has been ten nightmare-like days since the attack. We still have not received any results. We are waiting," Saymadi wrote on X on Saturday, thanking the Turkish Consulate and Oka municipality for their support.

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

Opened in 2022, Saymadi wrote on X that the restaurant gained recognition eventually earning a 4.9-star rating on social media.

"Ninety percent of our business was from dining in, and we had developed such great relationships with customers that we often knew what they would order the moment they walked in. They loved our food," he added.

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