Key facts
- A 21-year-old man, Illia Bilyk, has been charged with five counts of racially and religiously aggravated criminal damage.
- The charges relate to offensive graffiti sprayed on five Muslim organizations and venues in London.
- The incidents occurred on January 23 and January 25, 2025.
- Bilyk is scheduled to appear at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, September 17.
British police announced on Wednesday that a 21-year-old man has been charged with racially and religiously aggravated criminal damage following a series of incidents targeting Muslim organizations and venues in east London. Illia Bilyk faces five charges related to offensive graffiti sprayed on five buildings in January 2025. He is scheduled to appear at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, September 17. The Metropolitan Police stated that these incidents caused significant distress within Muslim communities. Chief Superintendent Rhona Hunt emphasized that anti-Muslim hate crime has no place in London and that police are committed to tackling such offenses. The charges stem from an investigation by detectives from the Met’s North East Command Unit, with specific incidents occurring on January 23 and January 25, 2025, at locations including the Stratford Islamic Association, Al-Birr Mosque, Leyton Jamia Masjid, Noor Ul Islam Primary School, and the Islamic Shariah Council.