Rise in Islamophobic attacks against mosques in Greater Manchester

MANCHESTER: Islamophobic attacks against mosques in Greater Manchester have risen dramatically post Manchester Arena attack, according to official figures released by Greater Manchester Police. Nine attacks on mosques were reported to police between March and June this year compared with none during the same period in 2016.

Many Muslims living in Greater Manchester have reported to the police and other online organisations a rise in assaults, abuse and attacks on property in the immediate aftermath of the Manchester Arena attack.

In one of such hate incited attacks last week, a pig’s head was hurled on the window of a Muslim family’s house in Oldham, when the family was watching television. Police confirmed it to be a hate crime.

Official figures from GMP( Greater Manchester Police) show that there has also been a huge rise in the number of mosques being vandalised, attacked even when people were inside praying.

 

Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Nasser Kurdy, 58, was stabbed in the back of the neck last month as he walked into a mosque in Hale, he was the prayer leader at the same mosque.

Another one was a suspected arson attack on a mosque in July, Manchester Nasfat Islamic Centre, which was left damaged. Police has yet to arrest any culprits involved in the incident.has yet to arrest any culprits involved in the incident.

Soon after the attack in May, the door of Jamia Qasmia Zahidia Islamic Centre in Oldham was set ablaze.

The terror attack on Manchester Arena in May prompted a surge in Islamophobia attacks on Muslims and properties owned by people belonging to the faith, and even Mosques.

Yousef Dar, a spokesperson for the Community Safety Forum, which works with the Greater Manchester Council of Mosques, while speaking to the local press, said the actual number of attacks on mosques was much higher. Incidents such as vandalism, graffiti-drawing and the posting of suspicious packages in an attempt to intimidate people at mosques have gone unreported.

He said the suspected arson attack on the Nasfat Islamic Centre was the culmination of a series of incidents which had not been reported to the police.

Commenting on the figures, GMP Sergeant Kathryn Crompton said: “Greater Manchester has a diverse population, and this is something we are very proud of and should be celebrated.

“Discrimination of any kind is not acceptable, and we can’t stress enough about the importance of reporting any hate incident that occurs. It has such an impact on people lives and the wider community." is not acceptable, and we can’t stress enough about the importance of reporting any hate incident that occurs. It has such an impact on people lives and the wider community."

He added hate crime is a priority for Greater Manchester Police and they continue to work alongside their partners to raise awareness of hate crime, how to report it, inform communities of the support that is available and bring offenders to justice.

“There has been an increase of hate crime reporting across Greater Manchester, as well as nationally. We believe in part this is due to the greater awareness of the issue of hate crime.”

Muslim Council of Britain says many attacks are simply not reported and the real figure is much higher – but they also point to the support they have received from other faith communities and from non-Muslims across the region.