A mosque in Peacehaven, near Brighton, on the southern coast of England, caught fire on Saturday night in an alleged fire attack that the police are trying as a hate crime. Two people were inside the building at that time, but they escaped unharmed.
According to the reports, two masked individuals tried to force the mosque door before spraying the entrance with gasoline and turning it on. The emergency teams arrived at the scene shortly before 10 pm local time to contain the fire.
The president of the mosque and another worshiper, both in his 60 years, were drinking tea inside when they heard a strong blow and saw flames that wrapped the main entrance. They managed to flee before the fire spread even more.
“They could have easily died,” said the mosque manager, who spoke with CNN anonymously. “These people came with full intention of causing maximum damage. Everyone is scared. We don’t know what follows.”
Police confirmed that the fire caused significant damage at the entrance of the mosque and a parked vehicle outside, the president’s car, in which he trusted to work as a taxi driver. “Unfortunately, there is only one shell of his vehicle,” added the manager.
The authorities have increased patrols in Sussex to reassure local faith communities. “We understand the impact that this incident will have on the Muslim community,” said Detective Superintendent Karrie Bohanna of the Sussex Police.
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The Democratic liberal deputy for Lewes, James Maccleary, condemned the incident in X (previously Twitter), describing him as “frightening” and emphasizing that the mosque “is an important part of the local community.”
The peace mosque, established four years ago, had faced minor attacks, including vandalism and verbal abuse. However, the mosque manager said that this was the most severe incident so far.
The cause caused in the midst of increased religious tensions in the United Kingdom after a recent attack outside a synagogue in Manchester that left two dead Jews dead. Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned that attack, warning that hate “is increasing once again, and Great Britain must defeat him once again.”
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