A project to build a new mosque close to England’s Lake District is being subjected to an intense harassment campaign by far-right forces who have heckled builders, “bused in” abusive protesters, and peddled Islamophobic conspiracies online.
The site for the new mosque is located in the small town of Dalton-in-Furness, which lies just outside the Lake District.
The £2.5 million project was aimed at providing facilities for the area’s modest-sized Muslim community to worship and congregate for Jumu’ah prayers, as well as catering for a growing number of Muslim tourists who visit the picturesque landscape.
However, following the start of the building project, a storm of right-wing outrage has been whipped up and appears to have escalated into a campaign of harassment and intimidation.
Around June 20, a far-right protest was staged outside the building site with around 20 anti-mosque activists chanting against the project and hurling abuse at counter demonstrators.
Some were seen waving far-right Britain First flags while others waved Crusader flags.
Britain First members have doorstepped the location on several occasions since early 2025. Their leadership have alleged that the “real reason” the mosque is being built is because the area has been “earmarked for mass Islamic immigration.”
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Britain First are a far-right hate group which is well-known for engaging in hateful rhetoric against Muslims and other minority groups.
On June 17, the leader of another far-right political party UKIP also doorstepped the location.
Nick Marcel Tenconi filmed himself trying to confront Muslim organisers and builders working at the site.
In a video posted on X, Tenconi could be seen heckling workers, calling them “traitors” who have “sold their soul.”
In a separate video, Tenconi films himself spouting Islamophobic propaganda and conspiracy theories against the mosque.
“There is absolutely no need to put a mosque here. And the soul reason is to artificially flood the area with Muslims as an extension of ‘operation scatter,’ including ISIS warriors, Johnny Jihads, Islamists and the dregs of the Third World.
“They will descend on this poor Cumbrian community. Our Lake District is a national institution. We are being conquered.”
Right-wing media have also pushed negative editorial coverage of the project, describing it as a “mega mosque” despite its modest size.
For example, GB News has been reporting regularly throughout the timeline of the project.
Presenter Patrick Christys used the term “mega mosque” as far back as March 2025 while asking a guest to react to “whopping great big places of worship” being built.
The South Lakes Islamic centre charity, led by a group of Muslim doctors working at Barrow’s Furness General Hospital, is behind the project and says it will become the only masjid within a 50-mile radius.
The site is expected to hold approximately 200 worshippers at full capacity.
In response to the hate, South Lakes released a statement of defiance on June 26 saying they will not be dragged into a culture war.
“Let’s be clear, the South Lakes Islamic Centre isn’t a threat to the Lake District as hard-right media and politicians want all to believe, but a reflection of a modern, diverse Cumbria where British Muslim communities are part of the social and civic fabric, just like everyone else.
“The headlines and outrage being stirred up are sadly predictable. We’ve seen this before: selective outrage, sensationalism, and attempts to turn a place of worship into a political football. It’s fear dressed up as concern, and it does nothing but divide neighbours who otherwise live, work, and build community side by side.
“The South Lakes Islamic Centre will not be dragged into culture war narratives. We are focused on building spaces of hope, inclusion, and community resilience, and we will be rolling out initiatives of engagement with our neighbours and friends, as after all, we are a beacon of unity in the South Lakes, rooted in Cumbria for the common good.”
Online abuse and threats
Amid the anti-mosque campaign, more abuse has surfaced online with the South Lakes Islamic Centre being bombarded with vile hate filled messages, emails or X comments which sometimes manifest into threats of violence.
An email sent by “John” on June 25 said: “The UK is not an Islamic country, please stop destroying our beautiful countryside and cities with disgusting eyesores and places of worship to false Gods.”
Another email from June 18 simply read: “F**k off back to a Muslim country.” While another email from an anonymous account said: “Please f**k right off, stay in Birmingham.”
On the South Lakes YouTube page a comment was left under a video explaining the project saying: “It’s (the mosque) going to get attacked when it is complete.”
Another comment says: “I’ve been dousing my rounds in pig fat in preparation.”
On X, profiles have been expressing equally disturbing language about the mosque.
One anonymous account called “Blair is in the air” said: “Another Qatar funded terrorist education centre.” While another account named Will Smith said on June 17: “Someone go in with a JCB truck and demolish that f**ker immediately.”
Many other comments have been seen by 5Pillars expressing a wish to see the site burned down, covered in pig fat or targeted in one form or another.
Organisers of the South Lakes Islamic Centre have confirmed to 5Pillars that they have contacted the police over the foul abuse.
5Pillars has reached out to the local Cumbria Police force to seek further comment on the threats against the mosque.
Superintendent Lee Skelton said: “Cumbria police takes all reports of hate crime and harassment extremely seriously and will not hesitate to take action against comments or posts online that are threatening, abusive or grossly offensive and cross threshold of being a hate crime.
Officers have increased patrols in the Dalton-in-Furness area and are monitoring online comments and threads. Our Neighbourhood Policing team is working closely with community groups and partners to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all residents. If you have been victim to a hate crime or witnessed a hate crime, please report this to us.
Anyone with concerns, or who has witnessed any offences can report online: Report a crime | Cumbria Police, or speak to an officer on 101, in an emergency call 999. You can also report Hate Crimes online through the True Vision web site at www.report-it.org.uk”
Support and donations
Amid the right-wing outrage over the project, the mosque has garnered significant supporters as well.
A group of anti-racism activists stood in solidarity outside the mosque on the day of the far-right protest in June. Demonstrators held signs reading “show racism the red card while chanting: “Say it loud, say it clear, Islamic Centre is welcome here.”
A reporter from the Daily Mail recently visited the site to report on local debate over the mosque.
The Daily Mail reported that a jogger passing the mosque who wished not to be named, said he was “ashamed” of the far-right protests, which he said were composed of “people bussed in from outside” rather then locals.
He was also quoted saying: “Normal Muslims are the same as normal Christians. They are peaceful people who put their families first and are law-abiding.”
Other locals also told the Daily Mail that they believed racism was at the heart of the outrage over the mosque being built in Dalton-in-Furness.
South Lakes Islamic Centre has appealed to the Muslim community for support amid the ongoing challenges to the project however have vowed to get the project completed in time for Ramadhan 2026.
For more information on how to support the project you can visit the South Lakes Islamic Centre website here.
