(Credit: Google Map)

Elham Asaad Buaras

Islamophobic messages were painted on a building near a mosque in south London on New Year’s Day. The graffiti was found on a building near to the North Brixton Islamic Cultural Centre on Brixton Road at about 11 a.m.

One of the Trustees of the Centre, Abdullah Fofana, told The Muslim News that this was not the first time that the Centre was attacked. In the past, “black paint was painted on the entrance walls. This used to happen frequently. We were not happy at all with the Islamophobic graffiti being sprayed,” he said.

However, Fofana said that the neighbours “came out in our support and they condemned the attack on the Islamic Centre. Two ladies met me outside the mosque and told me ‘We are sorry that this has happened to you.’”

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and Minister for Faith and Communities, Viscount Younger of Leckie, visited the centre to speak with officials about hate crime and Islamophobia in the area and address what steps are needed to take to eradicate hate crimes.

Closed circuit television was installed near the Centre by the Lambeth Council and police. However, neither the Council nor the police shared the footage or the content of the footage with the Islamic Centre.

“They haven’t given any information to us,” complained Fofana.

The Metropolitan Police said it worked with Lambeth Council to remove the “offensive remarks” from the building.

“Shockingly, hate crime affects people from all walks of life and impacts on communities across London. All members of our communities have the right to go about their daily lives without fear of verbal, physical or written abuse. The Met does not tolerate any form of discrimination, and we are committed to tackling offences like this as thoroughly as possible.”

Florence Eshalomi, Labour MP for Vauxhall, said it was, “disturbing to hear of a racist incident.”

The London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, said he was “disgusted” by the graffiti, which comes days after anti-Semitic symbols were daubed across several shops and a synagogue in north London.

He tweeted: ‘Let me be clear: all prejudice is cowardly and criminals will face the full force of the law.’

Councillor Mohammed Seedat, Lambeth’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety called on “politicians, particularly the government, to act responsibly in rhetoric and action to quell the rise of extremism and division in our society.”