MANCHESTER – Manchester mosque officials have expressed deep gratitude to the city council for its decision to offer them a new temporary venue and help build their mosque, which was completely destroyed in arson fire last Sunday.

“Muslim worshippers are grateful for the help but we still hope for a longer-term solution in light of the campaign of abusive incidents,” Branch secretary Monsurat Adebanjo-Aremu told Manchester Evening News on Tuesday, July 18.

Manchester Nasfat Islamic Center was destroyed in a suspected arson attack, with flames appeared to come out of the roof and lit up the sky as well as surrounding buildings.

After the attack, Manchester Council decided to offer a rebuilding aid and Stirling Community Centre as a new venue for the Muslim members.

The British detectives who investigate the arson attack as an Islamophobic hate crime.

Praising the council’s decision, the Muslim leader stressed that much needed to be done to counter rising hate.

“We do feel that the problem has been brushed under the carpet. We are meeting with the police this evening and we hope that they will come up with a plan to protect us,” Adebanjo-Aremu said.

“The new venue doesn’t provide us with all the facilities we need – and we are also concerned about its position.”

Mosque leaders informed that Sunday’s terrorist attack was the eighth time their building in Newton Heath was targeted in the last four years.

Public Solidarity

Beside the governmental support, the local community in Manchester also demonstrated good gestures on Monday by offering water and food to the Muslim victims.

Moreover, the citizens of Manchester have initiated social media campaigns to help rebuild the damaged mosque.

A support letter from Manchester’s cross-faith organization was also sent to the Muslim community, which has been praised during a meeting between the Manchester Council of Mosques and councilors.

“We are grateful to have very strong relationships and cooperation with different groups in Greater Manchester, and are working with partner agencies to support the community which has been affected,” said Det Chf Insp Paul Walker of GMP’s City of Manchester Borough.

The door of the Jamia Qasmia Zahidia Islamic Centre in Oldham, Greater Manchester, was set alight and badly damaged last May.