Elham Asaad Buaras
Police are investigating after masked youths were caught on CCTV hurling traffic cones through the windows of a mosque in Leicester, with children present at the time.
The incident occurred at the Peace Centre in Thurnby at the conclusion of evening prayers on November 30. CCTV footage shows two hooded men approaching the building and smashing the glass of the entrance doors with traffic cones. Leicestershire Police believe the vandalism may be linked to two other attacks on a bus and a nearby house that same night.
Numayar Gazi, spokesperson for the Peace Centre, which houses a mosque, community centre, and weekly food bank, described the attack as “premeditated and deeply saddening.”
“It happened just at the end of evening prayers when there were worshippers still inside. The scariest part is that children, aged just four or five, come and play by the water fountain, which is right next to those doors,” he said.
Gazi added that the attack was particularly hurtful given the mosque’s active engagement with the wider community. “We are not an insular mosque; we are very much integrated, and when something like this happens, it makes you feel rejected. All over what? Because my skin colour is a different shade, or because sometimes I dress a bit differently? They intentionally came here. They’re not just walking past, and I do believe we were targeted.”
He noted that the Peace Centre has experienced similar attacks in the past, including bottles and stones thrown in May 2024, and a pig’s head left outside when the centre first opened. Despite the assault, Gazi said he would prefer the vandals come to the mosque for dialogue rather than face punishment.
In a statement to The Muslim News Leicestershire Police spokesperson said: “Three reports have been received relating to damage to a bus, a premises in Thurncourt Road, and a house. All the reports are being linked, and we believe these offences were carried out randomly and were not targeting specific properties. CCTV has been obtained, and enquiries are ongoing to identify those involved. The victims believe the incident may be racially motivated; enquiries remain ongoing into the circumstances, and we are keeping an open mind regarding motive.”
The attack comes amid rising concern over hate crimes in the UK. Home Office figures show anti-Muslim incidents increased from 2,690 to 3,199 in the past twelve months.
Islamophobic offences recorded by Leicestershire Police rose from an average of 33 per month in 2023 to 94 in August 2024 and 73 in September 2024, reflecting a broader trend of growing hostility toward minority communities.
