Nearly a week after attacks in two Christchurch mosques in New Zealand, in a string of attacks, five mosques in Birmingham, UK were targeted with a sledgehammer. According to the police, reports of a man smashing windows with the tool on Birchfield Road were received at 02:30 GMT. A similar attack was reported on Slade Road, Erdington, about 45 minutes later. Two more mosques were damaged in Aston and Perry Barr, West Midlands. The motive behind the attacks could not be established.
Investigations are on by the officers of the Counter Terrorism Unit. As reported by BBC, Birmingham Council of Mosques said they were deeply horrified to hear a number of mosques were vandalised during the early hours of this morning. “Birmingham’s mosques are a place of worship, serenity and a source of peace and tranquillity. We are appalled by such acts of hate/terror,” they said. According to the council, at least five mosques had been damaged.
Councillor Majid Mahmood has tweeted videos of the damaged mosques and the clean-up taking place at the centre on Witton Road.
Watch videos:
Unfortunately the Witton Road Islamic Centre was attacked overnight by an individual who used a sledgehammer to break the windows.
I said last week that Muslims were afraid after the terrorist attacks in #ChristChurch
We need support in Brum @WMPolice. pic.twitter.com/7RjTqjRXbx
— Cllr Majid Mahmood (@CllrMajid) March 21, 2019
This is Albert Road mosque (Jamia Masjid Ghousia) that was attacked overnight in the Aston part of Birmingham.
I am here with the trustees and @WMPolice .
I understand from locals 5 mosques were attacked overnight with sledgehammers.
A disgusting attack on places of worship!! pic.twitter.com/F1aoMiEHj8
— Cllr Majid Mahmood (@CllrMajid) March 21, 2019
This is the clean up after the attack on Witton Road Islamic Centre in Brum this morning
I have reports of a no of Islamic Centres & a Muslim girls school attacked overnight!
The systematic #Islamophobia by the MSM & @Conservatives are responsible for these disgusting attacks pic.twitter.com/ma2yVi5754
— Cllr Majid Mahmood (@CllrMajid) March 21, 2019
This is the Slade Road mosque in Erdington that was attacked last night. All the broken windows have been boarded up
In total 5 mosques were attacked with the offenders using sledgehammers
The Muslim community is fearful of more attacks, and we need @WMPolice to step up patrols pic.twitter.com/caogRsoeEy
— Cllr Majid Mahmood (@CllrMajid) March 21, 2019