‘Appalling’: Islamophobic Graffiti, Pig Heads Found Outside UK Youth Centre

IQNA – Three pig heads were discovered outside two schools and a youth centre in Rainham, accompanied by red Islamophobic graffiti.

The heads were found at Harris Academy, Rainham Village School, and The Royals, with the graffiti stating that 'no mosques' were welcome in the area. It is believed the data-x-items were left just after midnight, Havering Daily reported on Friday.

Councillor Sue Ospreay expressed her shock and dismay at the incident, telling the daily: “This bullying and hatred of valued members of our close-knit community will not be tolerated.”

The Taha Academy, which is part of our School Space family along with football teams, drama groups, badminton clubs, religious groups, Jujitsu, and boxercise, are “well loved”, she said, adding that Rainham Village Primary School also opens their doors to another Muslim group for prayers.

“We will not allow these bullish actions of the uneducated minority to separate and spread their venomous poison. We stand united,” she added.

Member of Parliament for Rainham, Margaret Mullane, also condemned the act, stating: “This is an appalling and disgusting act which I condemn in the strongest possible terms.”

“Attempts like this to stoke up division and hate stand in the way of building community cohesion,” she said, hoping that the authorities would take this incident “seriously” and make “all efforts to find and hold responsible the culprits of this hate crime.”

The incident comes against the backdrop of a surge in anti-Muslim hate incidents in the UK, as reported by Tell MAMA, an organization tracking anti-Muslim hate.

Their report indicates a record number of 2,010 hate incidents from October 7, 2023, to February 7, 2024, marking a 335-percent increase from the previous year.

The incidents, both online and offline, predominantly affected London, with women constituting 65 percent of the victims.

The rise in incidents coincides with the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza. Large number of people, both Muslims and non-Muslims take to the streets of London every week to slam the Israeli aggression, demanding for an immediate ceasefire and end to the UK’s support for the Israeli regime.

Source: Agencies