United Kingdom: a mosque attacked every five days, and the violence is becoming more serious

The British Muslim Trust recorded 70 attacks on Muslim places of worship in the United Kingdom in the twelve months to July 2026, or approximately one attack every five days. The British Muslim Trust is a British charity which supports victims of anti-Muslim hatred, collects and analyzes reports of incidents and also carries out research and awareness-raising work with public authorities. It is registered with the UK Charity Commission.

But the new information revealed by ITV on September 25 is even more worrying: it is not only the number of incidents that poses a problem, it is their level of seriousness. According to data from the British Muslim Trust cited by ITV, incidents of threats and sustained harassment increased from 11.1% to 29.4% of cases between the two periods studied. Acts classified as serious violence or fires increased from 3.7% to 19.6%, while projects likely to cause numerous victims now also appear in the statistics.

At the same time, several mosques explain that they have had to strengthen their security. The British government has increased funding to protect mosques and community places, but Muslim leaders denounce significant delays in obtaining this aid. In several cities, mosque leaders also say they are seeing a more tense climate around places of worship. Some faithful are more hesitant to come to the mosque, especially in the evening or with their children. For many community leaders, the issue of security has now become a daily concern.

Mosques are therefore increasingly forced to organize themselves: surveillance cameras, reinforced doors, the presence of volunteers at the entrance or closer links with the local police. Measures which show to what extent the situation has evolved in recent months and how the protection of Muslim places of worship has become an important issue in the United Kingdom.