The British government has allocated more than 3 million euros between 2022 and 2023 for the security of mosques

The British government has allocated almost 3 million pounds (around 3.45 million euros) sterling between April 2022 and April 2023 to strengthen the security of mosques and associated sites according to The Guardian. A notable increase from the £73,000 allocated in 2016-17. The number of eligible applications also jumped from 36 in 2016 to 304 in 2023, although this remains small compared to the estimated more than 2,000 mosques in the UK.

Zara Mohammed, general secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain, points out that many mosques are unaware of the existence of this program, hampered by complex procedures. The rise in anti-Muslim incidents, with 4,971 reported between October 2023 and September 2024 according to national monitoring group Tell Mama UK, highlights the urgency for increased protection.

Kamran Hussain, from the British Muslim Heritage Centre, recalls that far-right violence illustrates the need to secure these places. Faced with these threats, a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior declared: “It is essential that every community feels safe, especially in places of worship. This is why we implemented the protective security program for mosques. In response to public unrest in August, we established a rapid response process and provided additional security to hundreds of mosques across the country. »