Flags and Christian nationalist slogans feature in soaring attacks on UK mosques

"Attacks on mosques in the UK have soared in recent months, the government's Islamophobia monitoring partner has said, with more than 40% of incidents featuring British or English flags and Christian nationalist symbols or slogans. In the past three months, a mosque was set alight in East Sussex; in Merseyside the windows of a mosque were shot with an air gun while children were inside;"

"In January, before the period examined in the data, there were seven attacks in London followed by a period of relative calm. Incidents across the country escalated in the summer from one in July to eight in August, rising to nine in September and a further nine in October, the BMT said. The BMT was appointed by the government in July to track and respond to anti-Muslim hatred across the UK. Its report, A Summer of Division, has been seen by the Guardian."

Data compiled by the British Muslim Trust shows 25 mosques across Britain were targeted in 27 attacks between July and October, with more than a quarter violent or destructive. Incidents included a mosque set alight in East Sussex, air-gun shots at windows in Merseyside while children were inside, a paving slab thrown at a window in Greater Manchester, and a window smashed with a metal pole in Glasgow. Three mosques were targeted repeatedly. Forty percent of incidents involved British or English flags or Christian nationalist slogans such as 'Christ is king' and 'Jesus is king'. Attacks rose from one in July to eight in August and nine in September and October, reflecting a shift toward coordinated symbolic intimidation and violent attacks.

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