AhlulBayt News Agency: A mosque in Taunton, located in southwest England, was vandalized when its windows were smashed, prompting police to issue a public appeal for information. The incident was reported on Thursday.
The attack took place in the early hours of September 6 at the Taunton Central Mosque and Islamic Centre.
Sajjad Jabarkhel, a mosque staff member, expressed the community’s pain, saying the incident has deeply hurt residents who have long considered Taunton their home.
Speaking to ITV News, Jabarkhel said the community feels disappointed and wounded, especially since many have lived in the area for years and view it as a place of belonging.
Police are looking to identify and speak with two individuals in connection with the vandalism, which they are investigating as a hate crime.
Avon and Somerset Police confirmed that the mosque’s glass windows were damaged and, although the motive remains unclear, the case is being treated as a hate crime. Patrols have been increased in the area, and authorities believe the incident was isolated.
The attack occurred amid rising tensions in the UK, fueled by protests against asylum seekers and a social media campaign known as “#OperationRaisetheColours.”
According to the anti-extremism group Hope Not Hate, the campaign—led by Andrew Currien, a former member of the English Defence League and now affiliated with Britain First—encourages the display of UK and England flags and has been linked to Islamophobic acts.
While some backers claim the initiative is patriotic, it has been associated with racist and anti-Muslim incidents, including the vandalism in Taunton.
Local MP Gideon Amos strongly condemned the attack, stating that those responsible are not welcome in the town.
He described the perpetrators as cowardly, asserting that they will be caught and punished under the law. Amos also visited the mosque to show solidarity with affected families.
He added that police are actively investigating the incident and collecting CCTV footage from surrounding areas
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