Key facts
- One mosque is attacked in Britain every five days.
New data indicates UK mosques face an attack every five days, with over 70 incidents recorded in the past year. The British Muslim Trust is calling for urgent government action to improve security funding access.
The rising frequency of attacks on mosques and the reported difficulties in accessing government security funding highlight a critical issue of religious hate crime and community safety in the UK, potentially impacting the well-being and security of Muslim communities.
One mosque is attacked in Britain every five days, according to new data released by the British Muslim Trust, a partner of the government in monitoring anti-Muslim hatred. Over 70 attacks on mosques have been recorded in the UK in the past year, encompassing acts of intimidation, violence, property damage, harassment, anti-Muslim hate speech, online abuse, and vandalism.
London, Greater Manchester, and the West Midlands are identified as the primary hotspots for these attacks. The data also reveals a 19% increase in anti-Muslim hate crime in England and Wales in the 12 months leading up to March 2025.
Akeela Ahmed, chief executive of the British Muslim Trust, expressed concern over the rising number of attacks and urged the government to enhance support for mosques to protect themselves. While the government has announced up to £40 million in funding for protective security measures, the British Muslim Trust has highlighted significant difficulties in accessing this scheme, citing long waiting times and unexplained funding denials.
Ahmed has previously called for the removal of stringent application requirements, arguing they create barriers to support. The trust noted that many mosques are left waiting for months while experiencing fear due to the backlog and a lack of police response to lower-level incidents.
A Home Office spokesperson acknowledged the appalling levels of religious hate crime faced by Muslims and affirmed the government's commitment to increasing funding for protective security at mosques, Muslim faith schools, and community centers to record levels, aiming to process applications as quickly as possible.