UK riots: Muslims 'fear going to mosques' as far-right violence grips UK

A group that monitors anti-Islamic organisations has told The National that many Muslim worshippers are “scared of going to their mosques” as far-right riots spread across the UK.

Thousands of police were on the streets on Sunday braced for more anti-immigration violence, as the UK’s policing minister said non-white people are afraid to go out on to the streets “because of the colour of their skin”.

Many Britons of Asian or Middle Eastern heritage are growing increasingly apprehensive for their safety, with mosques and migrant hotels the targets of thugs.

In Rotherham on Sunday, anti-immigration rioters smashed the windows of the Holiday Inn Express housing asylum seekers before starting fires.

Masked men hurled lengths of wood, chairs and bottles and sprayed fire extinguishers at officers outside after about 700 people gathered.

Six people were arrested in connection with that incident which also left at least 12 police officers injured.

A similar incident played out into the evening at a Holiday Inn hotel in Tamworth, near Birmingham, where reports suggested asylum seekers were being housed.

Elsewhere, in Middlesbrough, a large crowd gathered outside a mosque and a group of rioters smashed the windows of houses and cars and threw objects at officers.

There were 43 arrests, with crown court and university buildings sustaining significant damage, Cleveland Police said.

Five people were charged in connection with disorder in Liverpool, while another two men were charged in Bristol, police said on Monday.

The Home Office announced on Sunday that mosques would be offered greater protection under a new “rapid response process” designed to quickly tackle the threat of further attacks on places of worship.

The weekend of rioting has been driven by false news reports on social media that the suspect in the fatal stabbing of three children in Southport on Monday was a Muslim asylum seeker.

This was incorrect, with Axel Rudakubana, 17, who was born in Wales to Rwandan immigrant parents who are Christian, charged with three murders and 10 attempted murders.

The former first minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf said the army should be called in to stop “thugs” causing disorder on the streets.

But ministers have so far insisted police have the resources required to respond and have rejected calls to bring in the army.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said those who took part in the violence would “face the full force of the law”.

“The police will be making arrests,” Mr Starmer said. “Individuals will be held on remand. Charges will follow. And convictions will follow.

“People in this country have a right to be safe. And yet, we’ve seen Muslim communities targeted. Attacks on mosques.

“Other minority communities singled out. Nazi salutes in the street. Wanton violence alongside racist rhetoric.

“So, no, I won’t shy away from calling this what it is: Far-right thuggery.

“To those who feel targeted because of the colour of your skin or your faith, I know how frightening this must be.

“I want you to know this violent mob do not represent our country and we will bring them to justice.”

Muslims terrorised

However, the director of Tell Mama (Measuring anti-Muslim Attacks), a group that monitors anti-Islam incidents, reported increased numbers of British Muslims being “terrorised” on the streets, with safety concerns at their highest since the weeks after the Hamas-led October 7 attacks on Israel.

“There is a heightened level of fear in the Muslim community and we've had individuals say they are very scared about going to their mosques or Islamic centres for fear of being attacked, and many mosques have cancelled events,” Iman Atta, director of Tell Mama, told The National.

“We've had a significant increase in reports about British Muslims fearing for their safety.”

Tell Mama had also received a number of reports that Muslim women wearing the hijab or a face veil had faced death or rape threats.

“The racism, misogyny and rhetoric that we heard immediately after October 7, the whole thing is coming back to the surface again,” Ms Atta said.

“What we're seeing on our streets is something that needs to stop. We cannot allow Muslim communities to be terrorised.”

On Sunday, the government announced it was offering mosques greater protection with new emergency security that can be rapidly posted.

The new rapid response process means mosques at risk of violent disorder can be offered more security officers, providing communities with vital support and reassurance.

This will enhance the work already being done by local police forces to protect places of worship.

Under the new process, the police, local authorities and mosques can ask for rapid security to be sent, protecting communities and allowing for a return to worship as quickly as possible.

Colour of skin

Diana Johnson, the UK's Policing Minister, said with 4,000 extra public order officers stationed to deal with disturbances, mostly in the north of England, the government was taking strong action.

She said there were strong racist overtones to the protests and people were “frightened because of the colour of their skin”.

“That cannot be right and this government will take every action to deal with that,” Ms Johnson said.

With further demonstrations predicted in Bolton, Lancaster, Middlesbrough, Weymouth and Rotherham, Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, warned that “anyone involved in this disorder and violence will face the full force of the law”.

“As a nation, we will not tolerate criminal behaviour, dangerous extremism and racist attacks that go against everything our country stands for,” she added.

It comes as one of her predecessors, Dame Priti Patel, said she would not feel safe in some of the areas where violence unfolded and that the racism on display was no different from that of the 1970s and 1980s.

Dame Priti told Times Radio the bigotry on display was “no different to the type of racism that I experienced when I was growing up, and I just think that there’s no place for that in our amazing country”.

Mr Yousaf has called for the army to be called in to stop “thugs” causing disorder on the streets.

“It doesn’t look like, to me, the police have a handle on the situation,” Mr Yousaf said.

“The police have not been able to protect those that are in the Holiday Inn.

“The army can help to get control where the police are unable.”

In Belfast, Northern Ireland, a Muslim businessman whose supermarket was damaged in an arson attack, said the Islamic community was being deliberately attacked.

“People attacked this place, racism against Islam and Muslims, especially the Muslim community,” said the man, Bashir.

Online incitement

Hundreds of people gathered in city centres at the weekend, many of them draped in England flags and chanting anti-Islam slogans.

The rallies were organised under the slogan Enough is Enough, with police publicly identifying the English Defence League as a key factor.

Nearly all the co-ordination and false reporting has been carried out on social media, with far-right influencers contributing to the tension.

There are now increased calls for the government to tackle online incitement of hatred by far-right figures and Technology Minister Peter Kyle has been in discussions with social media companies.

Ms Atta called for the government to consider heavy fines for social media platforms, such as the encrypted apps Telegram and WhatsApp, which she said were being used to co-ordinate disorder and spread disinformation.