AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The British government has announced an additional £10 million emergency fund to enhance the security of mosques, Islamic centers, and Muslim religious schools.
The decision follows a 19 percent rise in anti-Muslim hate crimes in the year ending March 2025 and recent attacks on mosques in Southport, Hull, and Sunderland. The total security funding allocated for Islamic institutions this year has now exceeded £39 million.
Announcing the measure, the Prime Minister stated that “an attack on any community is an attack on the whole nation,” emphasizing that the funding aims to ensure Muslims can “live in safety and peace.”
The Home Secretary, during a visit to a mosque in Peacehaven that was recently targeted in an arson attack, condemned the incident as a “horrific crime” and underscored the government’s commitment to firmly defending freedom of religion. The new funds will be used for security cameras, alarm systems, protective fencing, and guard services.
However, the move comes amid growing tensions between the Labour government and Britain’s Muslim community.
The controversy escalated after local police, following advisory recommendations, decided to bar fans of an Israeli football team from attending a match in Birmingham on November 6, a decision later criticized by the Prime Minister as “wrong.” Muslim residents in Birmingham warned that the team’s supporters had previously engaged in racist and violent behavior in Amsterdam.
The government’s stance, seen as prioritizing Israeli supporters, has angered Muslim groups and led to protests outside Labour MP Shabana Mahmood’s constituency office.
Observers describe the episode as the latest sign of a deepening rift between Muslims and the Labour Party, a divide that began with the government’s unwavering support for the Israeli regime during the Gaza war and contributed to the victory of several independent Muslim candidates in traditional Labour constituencies during the 2024 elections.
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