UK announces £10 million boost to protect mosques from hate crimes

Mosques and Muslim faith centres across the UK are set to receive an additional £10 million in security funding to safeguard them from hate crimes and attacks, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on October 24.

The new investment will provide enhanced security measures, including CCTV, alarm systems, secure fencing, and professional security personnel, Caliber.Az reports per the UK government page. 

“I want a Britain built for all and my government is committed to delivering safer streets for everyone - and that means protecting places of worship from those who seek to divide us through hate and violence," Starmer said.

The funding boost expands the Protective Security for Mosques Scheme, which supports mosques, Muslim community centres and Muslim faith schools that have been targeted or are vulnerable to hate crime. It follows the UK prime minister's visit to Peacehaven Mosque in East Sussex, which was the target of an arson attack on October 4.

Recent months have seen a rise in attacks on places of worship, with mosques in Southport, Hull and Sunderland targeted during last summer’s violent disorder, causing widespread distress among local communities.

According to the latest government figures, anti-Muslim hate crimes increased by 19% in the year ending March 2025, with Muslims accounting for 44% of all recorded religious hate crime victims.

By Sabina Mammadli