Police are investigating a racist attack on the South Essex Islamic Centre in Basildon, after vandals daubed graffiti including “This is England” and “Christ is King” on the building.
The attack happened late on Thursday evening, with Essex Police reporting the incident at 23:10 BST. Witnesses said two men were seen in the area. One suspect is described as a white man in his 30s wearing black trousers and a grey sleeveless Lonsdale jumper, while the second was a tall white man in grey shorts, a hoodie and white trainers.
The use of the phrase This Is England has drawn particular attention. The slogan originates from Shane Meadows’ 2006 film of the same name, which depicted how far-right nationalism warped the multicultural skinhead culture of the 1980s. However, extremist groups have since adopted the words as a symbol of exclusion, twisting the film’s warning into a message of racial hostility. Writing it on the wall of a mosque was seen as a direct act of provocation.
Council leader Gavin Callaghan strongly condemned the vandalism, calling it “pathetic criminal cowardice”. He said: “To do this right before Friday prayers is no coincidence. That’s targeted. That’s intimidation. And it’s criminal. The cowards who did this will be caught.”
Saima Rafiq, from the South Essex Islamic Trust, said the graffiti was “disturbing”, but stressed that community solidarity had been a source of strength. “These acts are based on perception rather than facts,” she said. “I think we can work to get the right message out there.”
The vandalism comes amid a wider increase in racist intimidation directed at mosques across the UK, with police warning that such hate crimes will be dealt with firmly.