A mosque in England’s Peacehaven was set on fire late Saturday night in what police are investigating as a suspected hate crime, according to media reports from the UK. Two people were inside the building when the attack occurred but managed to escape unharmed.
According to CNN, two individuals wearing balaclavas tried to force open the mosque’s door before dousing the steps with gasoline and setting it alight. Sussex Police confirmed that while no one was injured, the front entrance of the mosque and a car parked outside sustained significant damage.
The mosque’s chairman and another worshipper were reportedly having tea inside when they heard a loud bang and rushed out to safety. The attackers fled the scene before police arrived, and it remains unclear whether they knew the building was occupied at the time, the CNN report further stated.
‘Zero-tolerance approach to hate crime’
Detective Superintendent Karrie Bohanna said in a statement, “We understand the concerns this has caused within the community, and the impact that will be felt by the Muslim community as a result.” “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,” the detective said.
“Sussex Police takes a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime and there is no place for hate across the county,” Bohanna added.
Political tensions in Britain
The incident comes amid heightened religious tensions in the UK. Earlier this week, a deadly attack outside a Manchester synagogue resulted in the killing of two people. It adds to growing concerns over a surge in Islamophobic and antisemitic hate crimes during a politically charged summer across Britain.