List of attacks on mosques in the United Kingdom
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Islamophobia in the United Kingdom has manifested in many violent attacks on Muslim institutions such as mosques and cultural centres. In 2022 a report by Muslim Engagement and Development found that about 42% of mosques in the United Kingdom experienced religiously motivated attacks in the preceding three years.[1] Between July and October 2025, 25 mosques were attacked.[2]
| Date | Target | Location | Perpetrator (motive) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2005 | Islamic Cultural Centre | Ivy Arch Road, Worthing | One man jailed for three years for arson.[3] | |
| 13 February 2011 | Mid Sussex Islamic Centre & Masjid | Wivelsfield Road, Haywards Heath | Three young men convicted for arson, theft of paraffin and a public order offence which involved racially or religiously aggravated fear of violence.[4] | Damage caused to building.[4] |
| 3 December 2011 | Mosque | Stoke-on-Trent | Two men jailed for arson with intent to endanger life. Suggested to be revenge for alleged burning of Remembrance poppies.[5] | One perpetrator was a former member of English Defence League and British National Party.[5] |
| June 2013 | Masjid-E-Noor mosque | Ryecroft Street, Gloucester | Two men jailed for arson with reckless endangerment to life.[6] | Both perpetrators were members of the English Defence League.[6] |
| 8 March 2014 | Mosque | Manor Road, Bletchley | One man jailed for arson with intent to endanger life and a racially and religiously aggravated public order offence.[7] | |
| 27 November 2015 | Finsbury Park Mosque | Finsbury Park, London | Man caught on CCTV trying to set alight a jerry can filled with petrol before throwing it into the mosque's grounds, though it did not explode. Police treated as an Islamophobic hate crime.[8] | |
| 19 June 2017 | Muslim pedestrians near the Muslim Welfare House and Finsbury Park Mosque | Finsbury Park, London | A man intentionally drove a van into a crowd of Muslim pedestrians resulting in the death of a man and 11 injuries. The attack was found to be motivated by Islamophobia.[9] | |
| 19 July 2017 | Nasfat Islamic Centre | Newton Heath, Manchester | Man arrested under suspicion of committing an arson attack, police said a window was forced open and an "unknown accelerant" placed inside. Police treated as a "hate crime".[10][11] | |
| 10 November 2019 | Bevan House Mosque | Camp Roads, Haverhill, Suffolk | A person smashed a window to gain access before deliberately starting a fire on top of the building's prayer rooms.[12] | |
| 10 September 2021 | Didsbury Mosque | Burton Road, Didsbury | Arson attack where beer cans filled with petrol were set alight at door. Police treated as an Islamophobic hate crime.[13] | |
| 8 August 2023 | Northbrooks mosque | Harlow, Essex | Arson attack that police suspect was racially aggravated.[14] | |
| 10 August 2024 | Mosque | Newtownards, Northern Ireland | A petrol bomb thrown at a mosque during the 2024 United Kingdom riots.[15] | |
| 20 June 2025 | Islamic Centre | University Road, Belfast | A man charged with a number of offences including attempted arson with intent to endanger life, attempt to cause an explosion, making explosives with intent to endanger life and criminal damage.[16] | A viable explosive device was thrown through the window.[16] |
| 28 June 2025 | Masjid Aqsa mosque | Blackburn | Set alight after a window was broken.[17] | |
| 24 September 2025 | Clarkston Community Centre Mosque | East Renfrewshire | A pole was thrown through a window while children were inside.[18] | |
| 4 October 2025 | Peacehaven mosque | Peacehaven, East Sussex | Two masked individuals spraying an accelerant on the front door before igniting a fire.[19] | |
| 5 October 2025 | Mosque | Headlands, Kettering | Attempt made to set fire to a mosque's front door.[20] | |
References
- ↑ Caato, Bashir Mohamed. "UK's first-ever survey details attacks on mosques, Islamic bodies". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
- ↑ Osuh, Chris (7 November 2025). "Flags and Christian nationalist slogans feature in soaring attacks on UK mosques". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
- ↑ "Mosque arsonist sent to prison". BBC News. 11 June 2007. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- 1 2 "Three men sentenced over arson attack on Sussex mosque". BBC News. 5 January 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- 1 2 "Stoke-on-Trent mosque arsonists jailed". BBC News. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- 1 2 "Gloucester mosque arson attack: Two men jailed". BBC News. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- ↑ "Milton Keynes mosque fire: Richard Bevington jailed for arson". BBC News. 2 May 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- ↑ "Finsbury Park mosque targeted in suspected arson attack". The Guardian. 29 November 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
- ↑ "Man guilty of Finsbury Park attack murder". BBC News. 1 February 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- ↑ "Arson arrest over Newton Heath mosque attack". BBC News. 10 August 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
- ↑ Sandeman, George (10 August 2017). "Man, 23, arrested over arson attack on Manchester mosque". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
- ↑ "Man arrested on suspicion of arson after mosque fire". BBC News. 11 February 2025. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- ↑ "Didsbury Mosque arson attack: CCTV image released". BBC News. 11 October 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- ↑ "Harlow mosque fire sees two teens arrested for arson". BBC News. 9 August 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- ↑ "Man in his 40s arrested over attack on mosque in Co Down". RTÉ.ie. 12 August 2024. Archived from the original on 12 August 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- 1 2 "Man charged after Islamic Centre attack". BBC News. 22 June 2025. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
- ↑ "Police investigate arson attack on mosque". BBC News. 7 October 2025. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- ↑ "Police investigate pole thrown through mosque window". BBC News. 26 September 2025. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
- ↑ "Police release photos of mosque arson suspects". BBC News. 5 October 2025. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
- ↑ "Man charged over attempted arson at mosque". BBC News. 7 October 2025. Retrieved 13 November 2025.