Attacks on UK mosques rise as hate crime grows more severe

Attacks on mosques across the UK are on the rise, with one targeted every five days. New data shows anti-Muslim hate crime is also becoming more severe. The British Muslim Trust, the government-appointed body that records Islamophobic hate crime and supports victims, found that almost a quarter of all incidents now fall into the most serious category.

Figures show threats and harassment rose from 11 per cent to 29 per cent of recorded incidents over the last year. Serious harm from arson or violence rose from 3.7 per cent of offences to 19.6 per cent. The most extreme cases, mass casualty plots, went from zero to about 4 per cent. In a separate breakdown, mass casualty plots were recorded at 3.9 per cent. Manchester is one of the country's hotspots for Islamophobia.

At the British Muslim Heritage Centre in Manchester, worshippers arrived one morning to find the words 'Muslim scum' and a Star of David daubed across a wall. The centre's head said there was a huge sense of fear, especially among women and children, and staff had to hire more security. The centre is a place of worship and a community hub. Children there described how news coverage often blames all Muslims for the actions of one person. One boy said it scares him.

Women are disproportionately targeted by anti-Muslim abuse. Amberina said a man deliberately rammed into her with a bicycle as she walked into her regular salon, the first time she had worn the hijab there. She said he swore at her and told her to stay at home. Anila Afsar, a former Taekwondo champion who represented Team GB and appeared on Gladiators wearing a hijab, said Islamophobic comments have become more acceptable. She said she is rethinking her running routes after comments from white men about her hijab left her anxious.

Experts called for the government to do more. They said misinformation and disinformation about Muslims must be countered, along with the far right. One expert described anti-Muslim hostility as like a poison or infection spreading through society, and said people need to be inoculated against it. A halal butcher also said he is fearful when he is out making deliveries.

A government spokesperson said any form of religious or racial hate is abhorrent and should not become the new normal. The spokesperson said record funding is being put into protecting mosques and a new definition of anti-Muslim hostility has been adopted so it can be better recognised and tackled. But some mosques wait up to 18 months to access that funding, and critics say excessive red tape in the application process makes it not fit for purpose. For Britain's Muslims, the report concluded, even ordinary life carries risk.