Press Release

Faith Associates through the Mosque Security project have produced a new report that provides insight and data into incidents against mosques and Muslim institutions in the UK following October 7th 2023. The aim of this report is to review hate crime statistics in the UK and present a case study review of recent hate crimes, with a specific focus on those targeting mosques and Muslim
institutes.

The report seeks to explore how geopolitical factors, such as the October 7th 2023 attack and the increasing tensions between Israel and Palestinian and the wider Middle East, have intensified anti-Muslim sentiment and contributed to a surge in Islamophobic hate crimes in the UK.

There were three main objectives that the report sought to achieve:

 Review UK hate crime statistics with a focus on Islamophobic incidents targeting mosques from October 2023 to October 2024

 Case Study Review: An in-depth review of recent anti-Muslim crimes in the UK against, documenting their impact on mosques and Muslim institutions and the broader Muslim community.

 Recommendations: Provide evidence-based recommendations for policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and Muslim communities to strengthen protection, response and prevention efforts against Islamophobic hate crimes targeting mosques.

The report documents incidents such as vandalism, harassment, targeted attacks and arson against mosques and other forms of Muslim institutions in the UK. The report highlights a significant and growing increase in incidents targeting mosques and Muslim institutions, raising concerns about their frequency and severity. Whilst the UK Government has provided some support, particularly after the Southport riots, the report emphasises that additional efforts are needed to enhance mosques’ capacity to maintain long term security and safety.

The report provides high-level findings that highlight the growing issue. There were 4971 anti- Muslim incidents recorded between 7th October 2023 and 30th September 2024, making this the highest total recorded in 14 years. Faith Associates and Mosque Security have remained dedicated to improving the safety of religious sites and communities throughout the UK. Our most recent project, in collaboration with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and The Major’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), has successfully delivered four in person Mosque Security briefing and training events. This initiative aimed to strengthen the security and resilience of mosques, providing them with the necessary tools and guidance to protect their institutions and communities. These briefing training events were in response to the July/August 2024 riots which started in Southport and resulted in mosques and Muslim institutions being put at risk and in some cases
attacked. These briefing events were well-attended by mosques, community organisations and law enforcement in attendance, with the Mayor of London attending the first of these events at Al Manaar Mosque on the 14th August 2024.

The full report is available here.