AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Among the more than 70 attacks on mosques recorded over the past year were incidents of violence, intimidation, vandalism, property damage, harassment, hate speech and online abuse, according to the organisation, the government's partner for monitoring anti-Muslim hatred.
London, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands recorded the highest number of attacks. Nine separate incidents targeted mosques in London, while one mosque in Birmingham was attacked three times within a year.
Several mosques, including the East London Mosque, have also warned of growing security threats while struggling to access government funding for protective measures, with community leaders calling for urgent action.
The figures come amid a wider rise in anti-Muslim hostility, with Home Office data showing that anti-Muslim hate crimes in England and Wales increased by 19%, from 2,690 offences in the year ending March 2024 to 3,199 in the year ending March 2025.
"We are seeing a steady rise in the number of attacks against mosques, and we believe the government should be doing everything it can to help mosques protect themselves," BMT Chief Executive Akeela Ahmed said.
The UK government has pledged up to £40 million ($53 million) for security measures at mosques, Muslim schools and community centres during 2026–27. Eligible institutions can apply for funding for CCTV systems, alarms, fencing and security personnel.
However, the BMT said bureaucratic hurdles and lengthy delays have left many Muslim communities without adequate protection.
"A mosque is vulnerable purely because it's a mosque. Currently, they're waiting for months while living in fear of another attack because of the backlog. In many cases, police aren't even responding to low-level incidents, leaving people frightened and vulnerable," Ahmed said.
The organisation said applications for security funding often face unexplained rejections, while some mosques have reportedly waited up to 18 months for support.
Under current government guidance, applicants must provide strong evidence that they face a credible threat.
The warning follows a series of recent incidents that have raised concerns over anti-Muslim extremism in the UK.
In Northern Ireland, anti-Islam activists placed a replica mosque on a bonfire, while earlier this month, a 14-year-old boy appeared in court over an alleged offence linked to "extreme right-wing terrorism" after police uncovered a suspected plot to target two mosques in south London.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the rise in anti-Muslim hatred was being fuelled by "inflammatory and vile rhetoric" from politicians and public figures.
"Anti-Muslim hatred has risen significantly over the last year – a consequence of the inflammatory and vile rhetoric used by politicians and prominent figures online and in the media," Khan wrote on X.
He warned that Islamophobia was not only affecting Muslims but had also become "a real threat" to the safety of other communities, including Sikhs and Jews.
"We cannot continue as we are. I look forward to working closely with the new government to advocate for and ensure the safety of all our communities at this perilous time," Khan said.
Labour MP Diane Abbott said the scale of anti-Muslim violence was "completely unacceptable" and questioned the government's response.
"This level of violence against Muslims is completely unacceptable. Where are the strong condemnations, the emergency meetings, the taskforces to tackle it?" Abbott wrote on X.
Qari Asim, Imam at Leeds Makkah Mosque and Chair of Mosques & Imams National Advisory Board, said the attacks were creating fear within the Muslim community.
"Such anti-Muslim attacks continue to cause deep anxiety and fear. British Muslims should not have to live in fear because of their faith identity," he said.
Labour MP Naz Shah described the findings as "extremely concerning" and urged immediate government intervention.
"The rise in Islamophobia is extremely concerning, with new data showing that one mosque is attacked in Britain every five days. I am calling on the government to take urgent action to prevent a major violent attack targeting ordinary British Muslims," she said
Notably, a recent study by the British Muslim Trust and British Future also found that one in six Britons viewed the growing Muslim population as a "foundational threat to UK culture," highlighting growing anti-Muslim sentiment in parts of British society.
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