Faith leaders unite in condemnation after arson attack on Peacehaven mosque
Police treating firebombing at East Sussex mosque as hate crime amid rising concern over religiously motivated violence in UK
Faith, political and community leaders have condemned a suspected arson attack on a mosque in East Sussex, which police are investigating as a hate crime.
Sussex Police said the blaze broke out around 9.50 pm on Saturday after two masked men were seen on CCTV splashing accelerant at the mosque’s entrance before setting it alight. The fire damaged the front of the building and a nearby car. No one was injured.
Detective Inspector Gavin Patch called it “an appalling and reckless attack which we know will have left many people feeling less safe,” confirming officers were treating the case as “arson with intent to endanger life.”
Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said: “We utterly condemn what appears to have been an arson attack on a mosque in Peacehaven. Every faith community has the right to worship free from fear. Our country is better than this.”
A spokesperson for the mosque said: “We are profoundly grateful that no one was injured. This hateful act does not represent our community or our town. We call on everyone to reject division and respond to hate with unity and compassion.”
A Jewish Leadership Council spokesperson said: “This was a heinous attack on a place of worship and we offer our sympathy and solidarity with the local community and the wider Muslim community.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood described the attack as “deeply concerning,” adding: “Attacks against Britain’s Muslims are attacks against all Britons and this country itself.”
The Muslim Council of Britain called the fire “a profoundly shocking and Islamophobic attack,” urging police to protect all places of worship.
The East London Mosque said on social media:“Our communities must remain united – Muslims, Jews, Christians, people of all faiths and none – in standing together against extremism, intolerance and violence.”
Local MP Chris Ward condemned the fire as “an act of violence and hatred alien to our values.”
The attack came just days after a terrorist assault on a synagogue in Manchester left two worshippers dead. Both incidents have heightened concern over a rise in religiously motivated violence across the UK.
Sussex Police said the Peacehaven arson is not currently being treated as terrorism, but officers are pursuing “a number of lines of enquiry” to identify those responsible.
Anyone with information is urged to contact police quoting Operation Spey or report anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
