Home Affairs Correspondent
Cornwall’s only mosque has been targeted in a vandalism attack in which its entrance gate was rammed by a car and a liquid believed to be oil was poured across its grounds and up its walls.
The Cornwall Islamic Community Centre in Truro was targeted in the early hours of September 17. CCTV shows a car ramming the gate before two people entered the premises and poured the liquid.
Devon and Cornwall Police is treating the incident as racially aggravated criminal damage, while the circumstances and motivation remain under investigation.
Chief Superintendent Scott Bradley, police commander for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: “Due to the location of the incident, we are treating it as racially aggravated criminal damage until such time as the evidence suggests otherwise.”
He said reassurance patrols would take place in the area and urged anyone with information to contact police via 101 or its website, quoting log number 169 of September 18.
Hasan Kilic, a volunteer imam at the centre, said the community was “shocked and in horror”, adding that it had not experienced an incident of this nature for nearly 18 years.
“We want our community members across Cornwall to be vigilant regarding these types of incidents which might take place,” he said.
Kilic said the attack would not divide the community and highlighted the centre’s wider role.
“We are here to show unity and to show that this centre here is serving the community, not just as a Muslim but the wider community.”
He said repairs would be costly but added that “the important thing is that no-one has been harmed”.
“The majority of people here are welcoming, that’s why the Muslims love being in Cornwall,” Kilic said.
“We feel safe to be in Cornwall but small incidents like this which may leave negative effects but we know these individuals are a small minority, they aren’t going to divide us.”
The centre, which was registered as a charity in 1997, is Cornwall’s only mosque.
A fundraiser launched by Kilic to repair the damage and improve security had raised more than £1,625 towards a £2,600 target.
The centre said it had been “overwhelmed” by messages of support and donations from the local community and wider public following the attack.
