As the Muslim holy month of Ramadan approaches, community leaders are calling for heightened security measures to protect worshippers and religious institutions from further attacks, Anadolu Ajansi reported.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that they are investigating “several incidents of criminal damage” and treating them as “shocking” hate crimes.
Among the institutions targeted was Leyton Jamia Masjid, an East London mosque in the borough of Waltham Forest.
Shabir Hussain, chairman of the mosque, recalled the distressing moment the attack was discovered.
Authorities responded swiftly, sending council staff to clean the graffiti on the same day, he said.
“All local authorities have been very helpful,” Hussain said.
“Most people in the area are very helpful and very nice ... We all like each other. We live as one family,” he said.
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.
With Ramadan approaching, Hussain is urging authorities to implement additional security measures to ensure the safety of worshippers.
While having police stationed outside the mosque is not ideal, the community would appreciate officers keeping an eye on the premises during busy prayer times, he added.
“Our response is not fire for fire. Instead, we respond with love,” he said.
A police officer first noticed the graffiti and informed the mosque management, he said.
Hussain pointed out the lack of updates from authorities regarding the perpetrators, saying the community wants to know “who did it and why.”
“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.
“Maybe this was their way of sending a message. With Ramadan coming, we worry that they might try to do even more evil things,” he added.
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