Over 70 mosques across the U.K. were targeted in attacks over the past year, averaging roughly one incident every five days, according to the British Muslim Trust (BMT), a government-partnered monitoring group.
The wave of anti-Muslim violence, ranging from physical violence, property damage and arson plots to intimidation, harassment, and online abuse, has prompted calls from lawmakers and community leaders for immediate government intervention.
According to the BMT, London, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands experienced the highest concentrations of hostility amid a sharp uptick in anti-Muslim hostility nationwide.
Nine separate incidents were recorded in London alone, while a single mosque in Birmingham was attacked three times within 12 months.
The escalation in threats comes alongside broader official data from the Home Ministry showing that anti-Muslim hate crimes in England and Wales surged by 19%, rising from 2,690 offenses in the year ending March 2024 to 3,199 in the year ending March 2025.
In response, the U.K. government pledged up to 40 million pounds ($53 million) for security infrastructure at mosques, Muslim faith schools and community centers for 2026-27. The program covers funding for closed-circuit television systems, intruder alarms, perimeter fencing and trained security personnel, according to local media reports.
However, faith leaders and advocacy organizations warn that severe bureaucratic bottlenecks, rigid evidentiary requirements and administrative delays of up to 18 months have left many worship spaces dangerously exposed.
"We are seeing a steady rise in the number of attacks against mosques, and we believe the government should be doing everything it can to help mosques protect themselves," BMT Chief Executive Akeela Ahmed said.
Ahmed warned that current application processes demand extensive proof of a credible threat before assistance is granted, leaving institutions in limbo.
"A mosque is vulnerable purely because it's a mosque. Currently, they're waiting for months while living in fear of another attack because of the backlog. In many cases, police aren't even responding to low-level incidents, leaving people frightened and vulnerable," Ahmed said.
Public officials and lawmakers have echoed these concerns, linking the physical violence to broader social rhetoric. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan directly attributed the rise in anti-Muslim sentiment to political discourse, warning that extreme hostility threatens social cohesion across all faith groups.
"Anti-Muslim hatred has risen significantly over the last year – a consequence of the inflammatory and vile rhetoric used by politicians and prominent figures online and in the media," Khan wrote on X. "We cannot continue as we are. I look forward to working closely with the new government to advocate for and ensure the safety of all our communities at this perilous time."
Lawmakers have similarly criticized the official response. Labour MP Diane Abbott questioned the lack of dedicated state resources to address the surge.
"This level of violence against Muslims is completely unacceptable. Where are the strong condemnations, the emergency meetings, the taskforces to tackle it?" Abbott wrote on X.
