London hit by ‘shocking’ wave of Islamophobic hate crimes
The British capital has been hit by a wave of anti-Muslim hate crimes, which has been described as “shocking” even by the city’s law enforcement.
Reporting on Saturday, Britain’s Sky News broadcaster said the developments had taken place since the beginning of January, targeting mosques, community centers, a primary school, and private homes.
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The Metropolitan Police are, meanwhile, probing a likely link between the incidents and a Telegram hate group, which has been offering £100 ($124) to people, who would commit acts of vandalism against Muslim-related sites.
The law enforcement said it was investigating "several incidents of criminal damage" and was treating them as appalling hate crimes.
Worshippers at the Stratford mosque and Leyton Jamia Masjid contacted the broadcaster, saying their buildings had been vandalized with anti-Muslim graffiti.
No arrests have, however, been made in the case.
This is while the police have been rounding up hundreds of people, confronting pro-Palestinian protests since October 2023, when the Israeli regime began a ferocious war of genocide against the Gaza Strip.
Earlier this month, it was reported that the police had arrested over 70 pro-Palestinian demonstrators during a rally in central London.
The arrestees included Chris Nineham, vice-chair of the Stop the War Coalition, who served as the chief steward for the National Protest for Palestine and would organize such demonstrations.
On January 13, such heavy-handed confrontations prompted more than 660 prominent British Jews to call on the Metropolitan Police to reverse a ban on a planned pro-Palestine protest outside the BBC headquarters in London later that month.
Reacting to the recent instances of anti-Muslim criminality, a statement from Stratford Islamic Association, which has been targeted during the incidents, said, "Our mosque has been part of this community since 1993.”
"Those responsible for this act of hate have shamed only themselves. This is not an act of faith - it's an act of cowardice. But they will not intimidate us. We will not live in fear. Together, as a united community, we will stand strong."
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