Members of the British Muslim community in London have expressed deep concern following a series of Islamophobic attacks in which mosques, community centres and a school were vandalised with anti-Muslim graffiti, reports Anadolu Agency. The attacks took place between 6 and 25 January, shocking local residents and faith leaders.
Community leaders are calling for heightened security measures to protect worshippers and religious institutions from further attacks. The Metropolitan Police reportedly confirmed that they are investigating “several incidents of criminal damage” and treating them as “shocking” hate crimes.
The attacks have raised alarm within the Muslim community, prompting strong condemnations from organisations such as the Waltham Forest Council of Mosques (WFCOM), which emphasised that Muslims “will not be intimidated by the few ignorant individuals trying to cause division.”
Among the institutions targeted was Leyton Jamia Masjid, an East London mosque in the borough of Waltham Forest. On 23 January, unidentified individuals defaced the mosque’s windows with the phrase “Stop Islam”. The incident has heightened fears within the local Muslim community.
Shabir Hussain, chairman of the mosque said that the incident was reported to the Metropolitan Police, who informed the local council. The council responded swiftly, sending staff to clean the graffiti on the same day, he added.
The attack also drew the attention of local politicians, including Calvin Bailey, Labour MP for Leyton and Wanstead, who visited the mosque to express solidarity.
Police collected CCTV footage from the mosque and deployed a faith police inspector to assess the situation. Hussain noted that despite the hateful act, the broader community in Leyton remains supportive of the Muslim population.
This most recent spate of attacks on mosques and Islamic institutions has heightened existing fears about Islamophobia in the UK. A survey conducted last November by polling company Survation on behalf of Tell Mama, an NGO that tracks anti-Muslim hate crimes, found that British Muslims are increasingly concerned about their safety. According to the survey, one in four Muslims reported experiencing Islamophobic hate crimes following last summer’s far-right riots across the UK.
With Ramadan approaching, Hussain is urging authorities to provide additional security measures to ensure the safety of worshippers. While needing to have police stationed outside mosques is not ideal, the community would appreciate officers keeping an eye on the premises during busy prayer times, he suggested. Hussain also recalled a similar incident occurring previously, but emphasised that the mosque’s response has always been peaceful. “Our response is not to fight fire for fire.”
Manzoor Hussain, who oversees children’s education at the mosque, also recounted the events of 23 January to Anadolu. “It was clear that the target was not just us; several other mosques and even homes had been targeted,” he pointed out. He also voiced growing concerns over security as Ramadan draws closer.
“Ramadan is coming and we are a little worried that we need protection or security. When we are praying, someone could come in and do something bad, burn the place, or worse,” he warned.
The recent vandalism has left many in the community fearful that it may have been a warning of further attacks to come. “Maybe this was their way of sending a message. We worry that they might try to do even more evil things,” he added.
