Dozens of anti-racism campaigners gathered in Stratford, east London, on Wednesday night to condemn a wave of Islamophobic vandalism targeting mosques and Muslim community centres.
The demonstration followed a series of attacks last week, in which seven mosques, Muslim centres, and a primary school were defaced with racist graffiti, including slogans such as “Remigrate or die” and “Stop Islam.”
Miriam, an activist from Newham Stand Up to Racism (SUTR), said the protest was a show of solidarity, making it clear that “no act against our brothers and sisters will go unopposed.”
Shaquid, a representative from Newham Muslim Forum, labelled the attacks “serious acts of violence” and called for stronger action against Islamophobia.
LGBT+ activists also joined the demonstration, drawing parallels between the mosque attacks and the vandalism of a Pride flag mural in Forest Gate last year.
“We are all neighbours, and we will not disappear,” one activist declared, highlighting the shared struggle against racism, homophobia, and transphobia.
The attacks come amid a concerning rise in religiously motivated hate crimes, with official figures showing a 25% increase in the past year.
Far-right groups have been stoking anti-Muslim and anti-migrant sentiment, attempting to exploit recent events, including the Southport murders trial.
In recent months, there have been violent attacks on refugee accommodations, including arson incidents, as well as a surge in inflammatory rhetoric from figures like Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson.
Idris, president of Newham Mosque, said he hoped the attacks would serve as a “catalyst” for greater anti-racist action, warning that failure to act now would make tackling racism even harder in the future.
