AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Essex Police are searching for two men suspected of vandalizing an Islamic center in the town of Vange, near Basildon. According to police, the suspects sprayed anti-Muslim graffiti on the walls of the center.
Gavin Callaghan, leader of Basildon Council, condemned the act as “cowardly, criminal, and disgraceful,” stressing that those responsible will be identified and brought to justice. He added, “The timing, just before Friday prayers, is no coincidence. This was a deliberate and threatening act.”
Police reported that two white male suspects were seen at the scene and that their descriptions are now available to investigators.
Saima Rafiq, a representative of the Islamic center, said she was concerned upon seeing the graffiti but was encouraged by the positive response from the local community. “These actions are based on delusion, not reality, and it is our duty to deliver the right message,” she noted.
Rafiq added that her family has lived in the area since 1962 and are British citizens. Police urged the public to share CCTV footage or any relevant information to assist in the investigation.
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