The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) is today releasing an updated Mosque Safety and Security Guidance toolkit for mosques and community centres across the UK. The launch comes ahead of the ninth anniversary of the devastating 19 June 2017 Finsbury Park terrorist attack, in which a far-right criminal deliberately drove a van into worshippers near Finsbury Park Mosque and Muslim Welfare House in London, killing Makram Ali, 51, and seriously injuring 12 others.
Nine years on from that tragic night, the threat from far-right and white supremacist terrorist attacks remains a deeply entrenched and evolving danger for British Muslims. This includes mass casualty attacks, as well as repeatable patterns of vandalism, intimidation, threats and Islamophobic hate crime. In the last three months alone, notable anti-Muslim incidents across the UK have occurred on average at least once a week. Further incidents can be seen in a summary video here.
Below is a snapshot of some of these incidents of religious hatred motivated attacks which we have also written to Steve Reed, the Secretary of State for Local Communities about here:
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- Nazi swastika symbol graffiti sprayed on wall of a mosque in Shrewsbury
- Threatening, racist and Islamophobic letters sent to mosques in Buckinghamshire
- Repeated Islamophobic graffiti spray on wall of a mosque in Surrey
- Vandalism by hostile thugs at mosque in Newham, East London on three separate occasions this year
- Abbey Wood “hit and run” incident where a visibly Muslim woman wearing a headscarf was struck by a car travelling at speed, with CCTV footage appearing to show the driver intentionally steering towards her before accelerating and fleeing the scene at speed
- Vandalism and death threats sustained by worshippers at a mosque in Birmingham
- Islamophobic graffiti sprayed on graves at a cemetery in Walsall
- Smashed windows sustained by a mosque in Glasgow during Ramadan whilst women and children were gathered inside to break their fast.
- So-called “Unite the Kingdom” rally in London including calls by official speakers on stage to “remove Islam from every single place of authority” and “it’s time for many Muslims to leave this country.”
- Aggressive man walking into a mosque entrance in Liverpool shouting expletives and threatening to kill brown and black people
- Protestors directly outside a mosque in North England including shouting “send them home” into the microphone
- Posters displayed publicly in Belfast residential areas with images of Muslims and signs stating “Not Welcome. Not Wanted Here” and “Anyone Facilitating The Settlement of Muslims or Illegals in our Areas will be Held Responsible. We Are Watching”.
The newly developed guidance supports mosque trustees, volunteers, and staff with practical tools to safeguard their congregations and improve the physical safety of their premises, as well as handle modern digital threats.
The updated guidance includes:
- Security Preparedness Framework – a phased 3-12-36 month road map with easy-to-use “How To” guidance for walk-through assessments, Hold & Secure plan, Lockdown plan and a one-page security checklist.
- Emergency Response Plan Template – includes ensuring an emergency contact list, evacuation routes and WhatsApp quick alert messages are in place, to be understood by committee members, volunteers and staff so they are ready to be activated.
- Supporting Guides – including protecting mosques from intruders, harmful mail, cyber security attacks and how to report hate crimes.
The MCB urges community members entrusted with stewarding mosques and community centres not to be complacent. In recent years, numerous potential mass fatality attacks planned on places of worship on UK soil have been intercepted by Police and criminals charged and convicted, with target mosques including those in Leeds, Cardiff, Greenock, Keighley, Belfast, London and several others. And internationally, white supremacist and neo-Nazi terrorist attacks have murdered worshippers at mosques in Christchurch (New Zealand), Quebec City (Canada) and most recently in San Diego (USA) in March 2026.
Dr Wajid Akhter, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Britain, said:
“As we approach the June 19th Finsbury Park terrorist attack anniversary, our thoughts and prayers remain with the family of Uncle Makram Ali, the survivors and their families. The horror of that night remains etched in our collective memory. It remains a stark reminder of what happens when venomous, unchecked Islamophobia is allowed to fester in our society.
Dehumanising rhetoric against ethnic minorities, immigrants and Muslims continues to circulate online and in public discourse, directly translating to heightened anxiety and vulnerability on the ground. The recent riots in Southampton and Belfast that exploited knife crime tragedies, highlight how parts of Britain’s politicians and mainstream media, aided by algorithm-fueled social media disinformation and foreign-based billionaires seeking yet more violence on our streets, relish any opportunity to relive the Southport-style racist and Islamophobic nationwide riots of summer 2024.
This updated guidance is not just about installing physical barriers; it is about empowering our communities to remain vigilant, to build strong local relationships and allies and to have the structure in place to respond.”
The MCB emphasises that while the toolkit acts as a vital practical resource, long-term safety requires systemic change. The organisation continues to call upon the government and law enforcement to take decisive action against structural Islamophobia, far-right radicalisation, and online hate speech that fuels real-world violence.
The MCB Mosque Safety and Security Guidance Toolkit is available for free download at: https://mcb.org.uk/mosque-security/
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