Amid an epidemic of Islamophobia across Britain, mosques and Islamic centres have been allocated access to an additional £10 million in security funding to protect them from hate crime and attacks, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Thursday.
The additional £10 million funding means more sites can be protected and builds on the £29.4 million already available this year for mosques, Islamic centres, and Muslim faith schools.
Recent months have seen concerning attacks on mosques. During last summer’s violent disorder, mosques in Southport, Hull and Sunderland were targeted, causing significant distress to local Muslim communities.
The most recent hate crime statistics show that anti-Muslim hate crimes rose by 19% in the year ending March 2025, and 44% of all religious hate crimes targeted Muslims.
Following the announcement, the Prime Minister said: “Britain is a proud and tolerant country. Attacks on any community are attacks on our entire nation and our values. This funding will provide Muslim communities with the protection they need and deserve, allowing them to live in peace and safety.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who visited a mosque in Peacehaven, East Sussex, which was recently set alight in an attempted arson attack also said: “The attack on the Peacehaven Mosque was an appalling crime, that could easily have led to an even more devastating outcome.
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“I am proud of this country because of the rights we all have to follow the faith of our choosing, and to live free from hatred and fear. That right must be defended. Violence and intimidation directed at any community or faith are attacks on us all. We must stand together against those who seek to divide us.”
The new investment will provide vital security measures including CCTV, alarm systems, secure fencing, and security personnel services.
Labour failing Muslims
The development comes amid heated criticism of the Labour government after the Prime Minister and senior government ministers rejected the fears of Muslims in Birmingham who were protesting against the planned arrival of Israeli football fans to Aston Villa in November.
Maccabi Tel Aviv are scheduled to play at Villa Park on November 6, and the fixture sparked a wave of local protests over fears that the Israeli fans, known for racist chanting, violent incitement against Arabs and hooliganism, would rampage through Birmingham as they did in Amsterdam last November.
West Midlands Police adopted advice from a local advisory group and implemented an away fan ban on the fixture, which PM Starmer branded as “wrong”, adding: “we will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets.”
Similarly, the Home Secretary also claimed the decision was based on antisemitism, announcing plans to put Israel’s fans first.
“Antisemitism is a stain on our society that shames us all. Every football fan, whoever they are, should be able to watch their team in safety. This Government is doing everything in our power to ensure all fans can safely attend the game.”
Just days after the comment by Mahmood, a group of local Muslim protesters gathered outside Mahmood’s local constituency HQ in Birmingham Ladywood.
They condemned her for her stance and urged her to prioritise the safety and concerns of British Muslims rather than foreign fans known for Islamophobic hate and thuggish behaviour.
Muslims in Birmingham breathed a sigh of relief after Maccabi Tel Aviv itself announced it would not sell tickets to fans despite the pro-Israel stance by Starmer.
The affair is the latest occasion which pitted Muslims against Labour, a party which once boasted positive ties to Muslim voters.
Starmer’s staunch support for Israel during the genocide on Gaza saw Muslim voters rebel against Labour in the 2024 General Election, managing to secure key wins for four independent Muslim MPs in Labour stronghold seats, and coming a very close second in six other constituencies.
