Police in East Sussex investigate a suspected arson attack on a mosque in Peacehaven as a hate crime. The fire damaged the mosque entrance and a car; no injuries reported. Authorities release images of suspects and increase patrols at local religious sites
Representational Image
Police in the UK are investigating a suspected arson attack on a mosque in southern England as a "hate crime" as a spate of violent crime against religious sites is reported, as per Al Jazeera. Officers were called to the site of an arson attack on Phyllis Avenue in Peacehaven, East Sussex, just before 10pm (local time) on Saturday, local police said.
The fire damaged the front entrance of the mosque and a car, they said, adding that no one was injured. Images and footage shared online show a burned-out car at the entrance of the mosque. Sussex Police also shared images of two masked men dressed in dark clothing, and appealed for help from the public to identify them.
According to a report on CNN, which quoted a volunteer mosque manager, two people were inside the building when two people in balaclavas tried to force the mosque door open and poured petrol onto the steps, setting the building alight. A spokesperson for the mosque said in a statement that the community was "deeply saddened" by the "shocking" attack. "While the incident has caused damage to our building and vehicles, we are profoundly grateful that no-one was injured."
"This hateful act does not represent our community or our town. Peacehaven has always been a place of kindness, respect, and mutual support, and we will continue to embody those values," the statement continued, as per Al Jazeera. "We ask everyone to reject division and respond to hate with unity and compassion," it added.
Detective Superintendent Karrie Bohanna said the attack had caused concerns within the Muslim community. "There is already an increased police presence at the scene, and there are also additional patrols taking place to provide reassurance at other places of worship across the county," Bohanna said, as quoted by Al Jazeera.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
