After an attack on a synagogue last week in London that has been declared a terror attack by the authorities, a mosque in East Sussex has endured an attack, as CCTV clips show two assailants in balaclavas pouring accelerants at its entrance and a man inside narrowly finding his way to safety, while police are searching for the masked men and treating the incident as a hate crime.
The front entrance of the mosque in Peacehaven, East Sussex, was damaged, and a car parked outside was completely burnt after the suspected arson attack on Saturday night, which has drawn condemnation from political leaders and faith groups alike. Although no injuries were reported, images from the scene showed large flames engulfing the area and a man escaping from inside the building moments before it was consumed by fire.
Footage released by Sussex Police showed what appeared to be two masked individuals pouring liquid around the mosque entrance before igniting it. The police confirmed that they received reports of the fire on Phyllis Avenue shortly before 10 pm on Saturday, adding that an accelerant was used at the site and the blaze quickly spread to the nearby vehicle.
The police have since released CCTV images of two individuals wearing balaclavas — one in a black jacket bearing a white Pre London logo and the other in bright red gloves — urging anyone with relevant information to contact them under “Operation Spey.”
Chris Ward, the Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, said it was purely by chance that no one was harmed, while he commended the swift response of East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and reaffirmed that violence and hatred had no place in the community. Mothin Ali, the Green Party’s co-deputy leader, called for urgent clarity on the motives behind the attack and whether it could also be classified as terrorism, The Guardian reported.
A spokesperson for the mosque expressed gratitude that no lives were lost, emphasising that the incident did not represent the spirit of Peacehaven, which had always been a community of kindness and mutual respect. Sussex Police confirmed on Sunday that the incident was not being treated as terror-related at this stage, although officers acknowledged the deep concern it had caused among residents.
The Muslim Council of Britain described the attack as part of a “disturbing pattern” of anti-Muslim violence, recalling recent assaults on imams and threats to mosques across the country, while the Board of Deputies of British Jews also condemned the attack, affirming that every faith community deserves to worship without fear.