Fire at East Sussex mosque probed as ‘hate crime’

A mosque in East Sussex has been damaged in a suspected arson attack, which police are investigating as a hate crime.

Fire crews were called to the mosque on Phyllis Avenue in Peacehaven at about 21:50 BST on Saturday.

While no-one was injured in the incident, the front entrance of the building and a vehicle parked outside were damaged, Sussex Police said in a statement.

“We understand the concerns this has caused within the community, and the impact that will be felt by the Muslim community as a result,” Det Supt Karrie Bohanna said.

“There is already an increased police presence at the scene and there are also additional patrols taking place to provide reassurance at other places of worship across the county.”

A volunteer at the mosque, who asked not to be named, told the BBC that two people tried to enter through the front door, only to find it locked.

They then poured a liquid at the entrance and near a car parked outside, which was set alight, the volunteer said.

“It could have been murder,” the man said, adding that two people inside the mosque managed to escape.

Video circulating on social media appears to show two people in balaclavas approaching an entry before a large blaze spreads.

The footage has not been verified by the BBC.

There is renewed focus around safety at places of worship following the attack outside a synagogue in Manchester on Thursday, in which two Jewish people were killed.

The suspect, who was shot dead at the scene, has been named as 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian descent.

Tariq Jung, chair of Brighton and Hove Muslim Forum, said “everybody is deeply saddened and appalled” by the events in Manchester and Peacehaven.

He said that, irrespective of whether worshippers were Jewish, Christian, Hindu or Muslim, the “last thing” they should expect is that someone would try to harm them.

“I hope faith leaders and others within the community will come together to try and bring peace,” he told BBC Radio Sussex.

“We’ve got to… support each other at this time of great need.”

Campaign group Brighton and Hove Stand Up to Racism said the incident had not come out of a “vacuum”.

“For a number of weeks now, racist and fascist groups… have been whipping up an atmosphere of hatred and intimidation against black and Asian people across the South Sussex coast with flags, stickers and racist graffiti,” it said.

Chris Ward, Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, called the attack on the mosque “disgusting”.

He said: “That there were no injuries is purely by chance.

“This violence and hatred has no place in our peaceful, tolerant local community. We will root it out and we stand in solidarity with all affected.”

Zoe Nicholson, leader of Lewes District Council, added Muslims in Peacehaven had the “unwavering support and solidarity” of the local authority.

“Be in no doubt, we stand shoulder to shoulder with you,” she said.