Worshippers left 'terrified' after PIG'S HEAD was left on mosque roof

Worshippers are ‘terrified’ after PIG’S HEAD left on roof of mosque in ‘hate crime’

• Worshippers have been left terrified after a pig’s head was left on mosque roof
• People discovered the animal’s head on the roof around 9.15pm on Friday 
• The incident at the Stockport mosque is being treated as a hate crime by police

Worshippers have been left terrified after a pig’s head was left on the roof of a mosque in what is being treated as an Islamophobic hate crime.

People discovered the animal’s head as they left a gathering at Heatons Muslims Community Trust (HMCT) building on Battersea Road in Heaton Mersey, Stockport which contains a mosque as well as community facilities.

The animal’s head was placed on a low, flat part of the building’s roof meaning it was easily visible when spotted at around 9.15pm on Friday night. 

The police have been notified and are understood to have logged it as a hate crime.

Worshippers have been left terrified after a pig’s head was left on the roof of a mosque in what is being treated as an Islamophobic hate crime

One of the HMCT’s trustees said the incident has caused a great amount of fear and distress among many the visitors to the centre, including children and the elderly.

Muhammad Tayyab Mohiuddin said: ‘In the evening we have a bit of a gathering at the community centre and some people came out and someone said “there’s a pigs head on the roof”.

‘It’s a short roof so it was easy to see. I think they have picked that point in order to terrify people. Everyone knows someone has placed it there and what their intentions were.

‘In our religion, we are not allowed to eat pig’s meat or handle it in any way so someone has done it specifically for that reason. 

‘We have a lot of elderly people and a lot of children who use the centre and obviously they are a bit terrified that someone is targeting us and fear in the future someone could go further or take a wrong step.

‘We have spoken to the police and told them. We’ve been told it is logged as a hate crime.’ 

Mr Mohiuddin said the centre, which has been serving the Islamic residents of the Heatons for over a decade, has not had many issues other than two burglaries in the past year where a TV and donation box were stolen.

One of the HMCT’s trustees said the incident has caused a great amount of fear and distress among many the visitors to the centre

He said CCTV footage showed a car pulling up and two people getting out, one of whom was carrying what appeared to be a bin bag. 

He said the car’s registration plate was captured on the dascham in a visitor’s car and is hopeful that police will be able to quickly trace the culprits.

In a statement, the Heatons Muslims Community Trust (HMCT) said that it ‘had a Pig’s head placed on the roof, in what looks like a hate crime..’

‘Unfortunately, this behaviour is not a one-off occurrence,’ they said. 

‘In survey data released earlier this year, by Muslim Census and MEND (Muslim Engagement and Development), it was reported that almost half (42 per cent) of Mosques or Islamic institutions surveyed have experienced religiously motivated attacks in the last three years.

‘Seventeen percent of mosques from the 42 per cent reported having faced physical abuse directed at staff or worshippers, including the stabbing of a muezzin (one who gives the call to prayer) in 2020.

‘The HMCT asks local residents and worshippers to remain vigilant and report any hate to the police.’ 

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police told MailOnline: ‘At around 9.15pm on Friday, 9 December 2022, GMP received a report of a hate crime outside a place of worship on Battersea Road, Stockport.

‘An investigation is underway.

‘Anyone with information should contact Greater Manchester Police quoting 3246 09/12/22.’

Anonymous reports can be made to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. 

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