Hate crimes targeting mosques, Muslims doubled in UK

Violence, assaults, arson and other hate crimes targeting mosques and Muslims more than doubled across the UK this year, a media report said on Monday, quoting latest official figures.

Police forces recorded 110 hate crimes directed at Muslim places of worship between March and July, up from 47 over the same six month period in 2016, the Independent reported. It said the crimes include racist abuse, threats to bomb mosques, attacks on mosques and worshippers, damage to vehicles outside mosques, graffiti daubed on buildings, arson attacks and physical assaults on Muslims arriving and leaving mosques.

Describing the figures as "deeply troubling", Britain's Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott said attacks on any religious group or minority are abominable.

"We have seen a rise in anti-Muslim extremism and far- right activity online, with a very slow, dinosaur approach from social media companies to take off hate, and an utter denial for three or four years that this was their responsibility," said Fiyaz Mughal, Director of Faith Matters which works to increase community cohesion. "They are now taking steps, but they are baby steps."

The latest data was obtained through Freedom of Information requests made to 45 UK police forces. The figures, based on 42 responses, showed that 25 forces saw an increase in hate crimes directed at mosques, the paper said.

The biggest increase was reported by Greater Manchester Police and the second largest increase was in London.