Elham Asaad Buaras
A mosque in Belgium was defaced with an anti-Islam message for the second time in just 10 days, raising concerns over the security of Muslim places of worship.
The Tawfieq Mosque in Schelle, in Antwerp province, was targeted again on September 15, with the words “F*ck Islam” spray-painted across the width of its facade on Steenwinkelstraat, Belgian broadcaster VRT reported.
Muslim Rights Watch Belgium (MRWB) Chairman Mohamed Amin Chaib said the latest incident was particularly concerning because it followed a similar attack on the mosque less than two weeks earlier.
“This is the second time in barely 10 days,” Chaib told VRT.
He said the repeated targeting demonstrated the vulnerability of mosques and other places of worship serving Muslim communities, and called for greater attention to their security.
“This can no longer be dismissed as mere vandalism,” Chaib said, questioning whether authorities would have responded with the same urgency if another religious community had been targeted.
The latest incident follows an attack on the mosque on September 5, when the same anti-Islam message was painted on the building alongside swastikas. Dog excrement was also reportedly left near the entrance.
The mosque’s administration filed a complaint against unknown perpetrators following the first incident, and police opened an investigation. A neighbourhood inquiry has so far produced no breakthrough, and no suspects have been identified.
The Rupel police zone is investigating whether the same person was responsible for both attacks. Belgian reporting said police are also treating the latest incident as a possible hate crime under the country’s new Penal Code.
Following the second attack, police said they would increase patrols around the mosque. The additional presence is intended to provide greater security for worshippers and deter further incidents.
The repeated attacks have caused concern among members of the local Muslim community, particularly as the mosque is a place of worship and gathering for residents in the area.
Karim Bachar, Schelle’s councillor responsible for Equal Opportunities, also responded to the latest incident, amid wider concerns about anti-Muslim hostility in society.
MRWB has described the repeated attacks as more than acts of ordinary vandalism, pointing to the explicitly anti-Islamic nature of the graffiti and the use of swastikas during the first incident.
The incidents have renewed calls for greater protection of mosques and stronger responses to anti-Muslim incidents in Belgium.
The police investigation into both incidents remains ongoing.
