Authorities in the United Kingdom are investigating a suspected arson attack on a mosque in Peacehaven, near Brighton.
Gatekeepers News reports that the mosque was set ablaze while two people were still inside. Police say the incident is being treated as a hate crime.
According to reports, two masked individuals attempted to force open the mosque’s door on Saturday night before dousing the entrance with gasoline and setting it on fire. Emergency services responded to the scene just before 10 p.m. local time.
The mosque’s chairman and another worshipper, both in their sixties, were inside having tea when they heard a loud noise outside. They managed to escape as flames engulfed the main entrance.
Footage from a security camera reportedly shows the suspects pouring gasoline around the door and on a car belonging to the mosque’s chairman, which was destroyed in the blaze.
Although no one was injured, police said the fire caused considerable damage to the front of the building and the vehicle.
Sussex Police have increased patrols around the area and other places of worship to reassure residents. Detective Superintendent Karrie Bohanna stated that the investigation is ongoing, and efforts are being made to ensure the safety of all faith communities.
This attack follows heightened tensions across the UK, with rising cases of Islamophobic and antisemitic incidents. Just days earlier, two Jewish worshippers were killed in a car-ramming and stabbing attack outside a Manchester synagogue during Yom Kippur.
