Eastbourne mosque responds to Far-Right violence with safety guide

An Eastbourne Mosque attendee leaving early afternoon prayer smartly dressed with taqiyah in hand on August 7th remarked, "It's quite quieter around here, thankfully".

I asked him about the possible effects of the rioting on the community, and he responded calmly and collectedly in a soft-spoken voice.

"It has not happened around here. We are just trying to live a normal life".

However, there have been reports of a Peacehaven Mosque having eggs thrown at it, threats on a Mosque in Hastings, and rumours of future planned far-right action, all of which encouraged Eastbourne Mosque to release a "Staying safe amidst far right violence" guide, taking a precautionary approach.

The guide advises organisations supporting asylum seekers in Home Office hotels, charity and community groups, housing-based support, and those at risk or fearful of being a target of far-right violence on how to "mitigate risk", create "safe spaces", and check fire and safety procedures.

If riots are happening locally, the Mosque advises organisations to develop "procedures for checking and opening mail…cancel any large-scale events or in-person meetings which may be taking place outside…encourage staff to work remotely from home…remove branding…liaise with police and discuss placing a Treat As Urgent" ('TAU') marker on houses in the community…"

The Muslim Council of Britain has provided "tips" on safety measures, and the UK government has a "new emergency security" plan that can be deployed to protect mosques if needed.

After visiting Eastbourne Mosque, MP Babarinde stated he wanted "to show solidarity against the wholly unacceptable hate that has escalated toward Muslims, people of colour and other minorities across our country - and for them to know that their MP has their back."

Eastbourne Mosque's social media page reciprocated with kind words and stated, "Together, we reaffirm our shared values of inclusion, respect, and justice."

The Mosque and MP Babarinde also thanked Sussex Police and Neighbourhood Policing Officers for their support, communication and solidarity against hatred and violence.

The riots in Southport, which spread to cities like Sunderland, Plymouth, and Belfast, amongst many other cities and towns, arose from misinformation over the stabbing of three little girls being wrongfully blamed on a Muslim asylum seeker.

As news of planned far-right action spreads across Sussex, other organisations take safety measures, and Sussex Police are preparing to control them to avoid civil disobedience.