Hawzah News Agency- A large crowd of worshippers at the South Essex Islamic Centre in Basildon, Essex, was left shocked after the mosque was vandalised late Thursday night.
Gavin Callaghan, leader of Basildon Council, condemned the attack as “pathetic criminal cowardice'', stressing that it was “targeted, intimidating, and criminal''.
Wajid Akhter, head of the Muslim Council of Britain, warned that the misuse of the St George flag reflects dangerous historical patterns of targeting communities and criticized the silence that has allowed hate to grow.
Council staff and volunteers worked to remove the graffiti before worshippers arrived, but fear lingers in the community. Local bishops also denounced the misuse of Christian symbols, calling it “scandalous and profoundly misguided''.
According to the anti-far-right HOPE not hate group, the campaign is led by Andrew Currien, a former member of the Islamophobic English Defence League and now associated with the far-right political group Britain First.
Shabna Begum, head of Runnymede Trust, a race equality think tank, said the spate of vandalism is part of a “frightening intensification of Islamophobia” driven by political and media narratives scapegoating Muslim communities.
“The violence being played out on our streets and the vandalism of mosques is the product of a political and media soundtrack that has relentlessly demonised Muslim communities'', she said. Whether it is policy or narratives, we have been fed a monotonous diet that tells us that our economic problems are caused by Muslims, migrants and people seeking asylum.
Source: AL JAZEERA
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