British police have launched a hate-crime investigation after a mosque on England’s south coast was set ablaze late Saturday night, just days after a deadly assault on a synagogue in Manchester.
Emergency services were called to the town of Peacehaven, east of Brighton, where flames tore through the front entrance of the local mosque and scorched a car parked outside. Authorities confirmed that no one was injured, but the damage was significant enough to rattle worshippers and heighten fears of a growing wave of anti-religious violence.
“This incident is being treated as a hate crime,” Sussex Police said in a statement Sunday, adding that specialist officers were deployed to secure the site and reassure the community. Forensic teams are combing through the scene as investigators work to identify the suspect or suspects behind the fire.
The attack comes on the heels of Thursday’s tragedy in northern Manchester, where two people were killed and three seriously injured after a violent assault on a synagogue. Though police have not linked the two cases, faith leaders say the timing has left communities across the United Kingdom feeling exposed and unsettled.
Community groups and interfaith organizations have urged calm while calling on the government to strengthen protections for places of worship. “Every citizen must be safe in prayer,” one faith leader said, echoing a sentiment now shared in towns and cities far beyond Peacehaven.
