The Muslim Council of Britain was horrified to learn of the vandalism that took place at the Norwich Ihsan mosque, in Chapelfield East on Saturday 7th February. Together with the attacks on other mosques, the graffiti on the university of Birmingham, increased hate mail and reports of increased verbal abuse, this demonstrates the expected spike in Islamophobic attacks across the country following the barbaric murder of journalists in Paris.
The response from citizens of Norwich City has however been heartwarming. In a demonstration of solidarity with the local Muslim community, members of the public have offered to help raise funds for repair work and showered the mosque with messages of love, akin to the ‘love bombing’ that occurred in Uppsala, Sweden earlier last month.
The Muslim Council of Britain would like to commend those involved in offering support to the Ihsan mosque, as well as those who have spoken out against the attack, both in person and online. Such actions demonstrate that hate should not and cannot divide the diverse communities in Britain, and that the actions of a few do not reflect the beliefs of an entire community irrespective of faith.
We hope that attacks such as these remain isolated incidents, and encourage the local community to support Norwich police in their investigation. We urge all of our communities across Britain to remember the importance of civility and courtesy, and also encourage mosques and British Muslims to be vigilant and report any attacks or incidents to the police. Where there are specific concerns about security, we urge you to contact the local police authorities who may be able to provide further reassurance and support.