A Muslim community centre in Worcester has been targeted in a suspected arson attack, prompting a police investigation and renewed security concerns ahead of a planned far-right march in the city this weekend.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday at the Unity House Community Hub on Stanley Road, a building owned by Worcester Mosque and operated by the Worcester Muslim Welfare Association (WMWA).
In an official public statement dated 26 February 2026, WMWA confirmed the building had been subjected to what it described as a “deliberate act of arson”. The matter has been reported to West Mercia Police, with the association confirming full cooperation with the investigation.
Police have arrested a white male in connection with the incident. Officers also reportedly recovered several petrol cans from around the premises.
The association said the attack had caused “enormous distress” across the community and called on West Mercia Police to investigate the matter as a hate crime and treat it with the “full force and seriousness it demands”.
The statement referenced the timing of the incident during the holy month of Ramadan and described it as a “racially and religiously motivated Islamophobic act of hatred”.
Community leaders have urged worshippers and local residents to remain vigilant around mosques, community centres and places of worship, and to report any suspicious behaviour immediately.
The fire comes days before a far-right march scheduled to take place in Worcester on Saturday, raising further concerns about community tensions.
West Mercia Police have not yet publicly confirmed whether the incident is being formally treated as hate-related, but investigations are ongoing.