United Kingdom: an unfinished mosque will exceptionally open for Ramadan prayers despite pressure from the far right

In the town of Barrow-in-Furness, in the northwest of England, the South Lakes Islamic Center (SLIC) – currently under construction – will open its doors exceptionally during the month of Ramadan to accommodate night prayers. Although the building is not yet complete, with exposed bricks, visible wiring and no lighting or heating, space has been cleared for the local Muslim community to meet there each evening. The official inauguration of this mosque and community center, which cost 2.5 million pounds, is planned for next July.

In this region of the county of Cumbria, where Muslims represent only 0.4% of the population, the absence of a place of worship has until now forced the faithful – many of them health professionals – to rent multipurpose rooms for Friday prayers, sometimes located more than 80 kilometers from the nearest mosque, in Lancaster. Since the launch of the project in 2022, the site has, however, been the regular target of far-right activists, some affiliated with UKIP or the Britain First group, who came to demonstrate on site after the future mosque was described as a “mega mosque” by certain media.

Despite these pressures, the project benefits from the support of part of the local population, as well as anti-racist collectives engaged in solidarity counter-demonstrations. Interfaith events and school visits are already being planned after the official opening. For the Muslim community of Barrow, being able to perform Ramadan prayers in their future mosque, even if it is still unfinished, is already “a fantastic feeling” and a major step forward after years without a permanent place of worship.