Mosques across the UK are being urged to take immediate action in response to a growing threat of anti-Muslim attacks. The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) has issued comprehensive guidance, advising places of worship to enhance their security protocols and strengthen ties with local police forces.
The MCB's new framework for security and preparedness has been distributed to nearly 500 affiliated mosques and community centres across the UK. It highlights an increasing threat from vandalism, intimidation, and targeted hostility, and offers practical advice on incident response, including emergency planning, reporting systems, and procedures for strengthening relationships with local authorities and law enforcement agencies.
The initiative comes in the wake of several high-profile attacks targeting Muslim communities, including an incident at an imam's home in Bolton. The MCB has cautioned its members to remain vigilant ahead of what it fears could be another summer marked by 'violence on our streets', encouraging imams to use Friday sermons to promote messages of hope, unity, and resilience.
Official figures from the Home Office, released last October, revealed a rise in recorded hate crime in England and Wales for the first time in three years. This included an increase in racially and religiously motivated offences. Specifically, anti-Muslim hate crime in England and Wales saw a rise from 2,690 offences to 3,199 in the 12 months leading up to March 2025.
The MCB's framework outlines a phased roadmap for security improvements over three, 12, and 36 months. Initial recommendations include appointing a dedicated safety lead, conducting security assessments to identify CCTV blind spots, and establishing clear lockdown and 'hold and secure' procedures. Common vulnerabilities identified in the guidance include a lack of named safety officers, weak links with local police, uncontrolled access points, inadequate lighting, and volunteers being unsure how to respond during emergencies.
Wajid Akhter, the MCB Secretary General, stated that communities remain concerned about a repeat of the unrest seen in recent summers. He highlighted that dehumanising rhetoric against ethnic minorities, immigrants, and Muslims in public discourse has directly led to increased anxiety and vulnerability on the ground. The guidance also encourages mosques to foster stronger relationships with neighbours, councillors, local businesses, and other faith groups, emphasising that robust community ties can facilitate a quicker and calmer response when incidents occur.
Source: Muslim Council of Britain