Mosques ‘waiting months’ for security promised by the government despite surge in attacks
Mosques across the UK are facing serious delays in receiving promised government security funding, with some mosques waiting “months” despite a rise in anti-Muslim hate incidents, a leading organization has warned.
The British Muslim Foundation (BMT) documented 70 attacks on Muslim places of worship across the country in the 12 months to July.
These incidents ranged from vandalism to intimidation.
Reported incidents included an arson attack at Peacehaven Mosque in East Sussex last October and an incident of bacon being left at a Bristol mosque during Friday prayers in the first week of Ramadan in February.
The foundation also highlighted examples of “online harassment”, explaining that communities who share details of attacks on social media are sometimes met with death threats and encouragement to cause more trouble.
Akeela Ahmed, BMT’s chief executive, stated that “some mosques were waiting for funding for months after the attacks due to a backlog.” He suggested £40m of deposits to address these delays could be transferred from the Home Office to local areas, potentially to mayoral authorities.
The government said it was “working to process all applications as quickly as possible.”
Other incidents excluded from the BMT statistics include the placing of a replica of a mosque on top of a bonfire in Northern Ireland, which sparked widespread condemnation, and the appearance of a 14-year-old boy in court earlier this month, charged with an offense linked to “far-right terrorism”, after police discovered allegations of targeting two mosques in Sutton, south London.
Last July a man was given a suspended prison sentence for releasing rats outside a mosque in Sheffield.
Ms Ahmed said: “We are seeing a steady increase in the number of attacks on mosques and believe the Government must do everything it can to help mosques protect themselves.
“Demanding proof that you are a target is the equivalent of closing the stable door when the horse runs away. A mosque is vulnerable simply because it is a mosque.”
“They have been waiting for months now, while living in fear of another attack due to the backlog. In many cases, the police do not even intervene in low-level incidents, leaving people frightened and vulnerable.”
“It’s great that this fund and initiative exists, but we need to recognize that the momentum in attacks is increasing, and we need to respond and prepare. Community members described feeling, in their own words, ‘fearing for their lives’ and feeling the need to ‘protect themselves’ by staying home in fear.”
“We recommend exploring better ways to deliver funding to mosques as smoothly as possible, including rolling over funding to speed up its distribution, especially given recent events.”
A Home Office spokesman said: “Muslims in the UK face appalling levels of religious hate crime. It is crucial that they not only stay safe, but also feel safe.”
“This Government has increased safeguarding funding in mosques, Muslim faith schools and community centers to record levels, up to £40 million in 2026/27.
“We strive to process all applications as quickly as possible.”
The latest annual Government data on police-recorded religious hate crimes in England and Wales, published by the Home Office in October, showed that anti-Muslim hate crimes rose by almost a fifth to 3,199 crimes in the year ending March 2025, from 2,690 crimes recorded in the 12 months to March 2024.
This week marks one year since BMT was appointed to receive investment from the Anti-Muslim Hate Fund.
The charity, which brings together the Aziz Foundation and the Randeree Charitable Trust, is analyzing data to help identify factors behind the rise in anti-Muslim hate.
What is the duty of the government illegal Definition of anti-Muslim hostility
The government announced a new non-legal definition of anti-Muslim hatred in March as part of a wider strategy on social cohesion.
Communities Minister Steve Reed said the government had a duty to act against record levels of hate crimes against Muslims but “if you can’t define a problem you can’t solve it”.
The definition aims to both protect people from “unacceptable prejudice, discrimination and hatred” and uphold the right to freedom of expression.
The UK government’s non-legal definition of anti-Muslim hostility is contained in three paragraphs and reads:
“Anti-Muslimism is intentionally engaging in, aiding, or encouraging criminal acts (including acts of violence, vandalism, harassment, or intimidation, whether delivered physically, verbally, in writing, or electronically) against Muslims or those perceived to be Muslims because of their religion, including when that perception is based on assumptions about ethnicity, race, or appearance.”
“This is also the prejudicial stereotyping of Muslims, or those perceived to be Muslims because of their ethnic or racial origin or appearance, and their treatment as a collective group defined by fixed and negative characteristics, regardless of their actual views, beliefs or actions as individuals, with the aim of promoting hatred against them.
“It is unlawful discrimination where the relevant conduct is intended to disadvantage Muslims in public and economic life, including the establishment or use of practices and prejudices within institutions.”
