The British mosque was on fire with two people among them amid allegedly arson attacks that police treated as a hate crime.
So far, one man has been arrested on suspicion of arson “with the intent to risk his life in connection with the incident,” according to Sussex Police.
Reported in the politically charged British summer is the latest case of violence, during which cases of Islamophobia and anti-Semitic hatred remain high, coming days after a fatal attack outside the Manchester synagogue.
Two of Balakravas tried to force the mosque door on Saturday night, then poured gasoline down the stairs and tried to send it out.
The emergency crew rushed to the Peace Haven mosque near Brighton on the south coast shortly before 10pm local time.
According to the mosque manager, the mosque chair and fellow worshippers had tea when the chairman and fellow worshippers in their 60s heard loud noises outside and fled the building as the flames rounded across the main entrance.
It is unknown whether the suspected arsonist knew people were inside at the time.
“They could have died easily,” the manager told CNN, “These people brought in intentions to cause the greatest damage.”
“The chairman was shaking the whole time, and his neighbor came out into the street crying,” he said.
“Everyone is scared. If someone is willing to do this, we don’t know what will happen next.”
Opened four years ago, the small mosque serves 10-15 worshipers who gathered for evening prayers at 8:15pm local time.
After the mosque was closed, the chairman continued to drink tea with another volunteer.
“They are old chaps in their 60s and usually do that. Mosques are usually very friendly and relaxed environments,” the manager said.
The footage from the mosque door camera soon arrived at the entrance after a while, pulling on the door handle and pushing the door several times, and the two Balaclavas were appearing, the manager said.
“We then saw them pouring gasoline all over the floor, outside the mosque door and the chairman’s car.”
Sussex police have treated the incident as arson intended to put lives at risk, and said the effects of the small coastal town are “feeling through the Muslim community.”
“Fortunately, people at the time were not injured, but there was a great deal of damage to the mosque and nearby vehicles,” the unit said in a statement.
According to the manager, the mosque president worked as a taxi driver and relied on cars for his living. “Unfortunately, only the shell of his car remains,” he added.
Detectives on Sunday sued for information about the two people seen in the footage, showing that one was wearing “a distinctive black jacket with a pre-London logo” and the second was wearing “red gloves.”
“I believe there are people in the community who know who these two are,” Criminal Inspector Gavin Patch said.
In an update released Monday, Sussex Police confirmed that the 46-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to put his life at risk, adding that their investigation is “at a pace.”
A liberal Democrat from James McCreeley’s Lewis neighborhood denounced the incident on X.
“It’s scary to hear about this fire at the Peace Haven mosque. It’s used by my members and is an important part of the community. The police treat it as a hate crime,” he wrote.
Last August, the mosque was targeted twice overnight for throwing eggs into buildings, and people yelled cursed words and racial slander as they passed, the manager said.
“But we didn’t expect an attack on this level,” he added. “The community is on the toes right now. They’re not safe. They’re paranoid. There’s a lot right now.”
Sussex Police Detective Detective Curry Bohanna said the police presence is on the rise.
Two Jewish worshipers were killed on Thursday in a car charge and stab wound attack outside a synagogue in Manchester, the British city of Yom Kipur, the holiest day of Judaism.
British Prime Minister Kiel condemned the attack, warning that hatred “is rising again and Britain must defeat it again.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
