Islamophobia in UK: Pig’s Head Thrown onto Islamic Center near Manchester
Worshippers at the Heatons Muslims Community Trust (HMCT) building - which contains a mosque as well as community facilities - in Heaton Mersey, Stockport, made the discovery as they left a gathering at around 9.15pm on Friday 9 December.
The animal's head had been placed on a low, flat part of the building's roof meaning it was easily visible.
Greater Manchester Police has been notified and are understood to have recorded it as a hate crime.
One of the HMCT's trustees says the incident has caused a great amount of fear and distress among many the users of the centre, some of whom are children and some of whom are elderly.
Muhammad Tayyab Mohiuddin said: "In the evening we have a bit of a gathering at the community centre and some people came out and someone said 'there's a pigs head on the roof'.
"It's a short roof so it was easy to see. I think they have picked that point in order to terrify people. Everyone knows someone has placed it there and what their intentions were.
"In our religion, we are not allowed to eat pig's meat or handle it in any way so someone has done it specifically for that reason.
"We have a lot of elderly people and a lot of children who use the centre and obviously they are a bit terrified that someone is targeting us and fear in the future someone could go further or take a wrong step.
"We have spoken to the police and told them. We've been told it is logged as a hate crime."
Mr Mohiuddin said the centre, which has been serving the Islamic residents of the Heatons for over a decade, has never had any issues other than two burglaries in the past year where a TV and donation box were stolen.
He said CCTV footage showed a car pulling up and two people, getting out one of whom was carrying what appeared to be a bin bag.
He said the car's registration plate was captured on the dascham in one user's car meaning they were hopeful police would be able to quickly trace the culprits.
In a statement, the Heatons Muslims Community Trust (HMCT) said they had 'had a Pig’s head placed on the roof, in what looks like a hate crime.'
"Unfortunately, this behaviour is not a one-off occurrence," they said. "In survey data released earlier this year, by Muslim Census and MEND (Muslim Engagement and Development), it was reported that almost half (42%) of Mosques or Islamic institutions surveyed have experienced religiously motivated attacks in the last three years.
"17% of mosques from the 42% reported having faced physical abuse directed at staff or worshippers, including the stabbing of a muezzin (one who gives the call to prayer) in 2020.
"The HMCT asks local residents and worshippers to remain vigilant and report any hate to the police."
Source: itv.com
