Night of violence leaves community in fear

Zaf Iqbal stayed locked inside a mosque as violence erupted on Friday

A faith leader has told how some members of the Muslim community were left terrified and did not want to leave their homes after a night of unrest in the city.

Rioters in Sunderland attacked police officers, damaged buildings and targeted mosques on Friday in an outbreak of violence following the fatal stabbing of three girls in Southport.

Zaf Iqbal and three other people locked themselves inside Masjid E Anwaar E Madinah mosque on St Mark's Road for safety.

Mr Iqbal, who co-chairs the Sunderland Inter Faith Forum, said it had been "very frightening".

"You have a mob attacking a building, which is a place of worship," he said.

"I'm born and bred in Sunderland. I've lived my life here. I'm proud of the fact I'm a Mackem. Proud I'm English."

Twelve people have been arrested so far, including a 16-year-old boy.

There was some unrest on Saturday evening too, when the windows of several businesses in the city centre were reportedly smashed.

The Sunderland Empire theatre also decided to postpone a performance.

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'Don't want to come out'

Mr Iqbal said that following the rioting some Muslim people were scared to leave their homes, with members of other faiths also feeling concerned.

"Older men are terrified. The women, they don't want to come out," he said.

"I've heard from the Sikh community, that they had to be vigilant and make sure that the gurdwara didn't get attacked. Fortunately, it didn't.

"We had to close the mosques on Friday night and not go about our normal business, because we didn't want our elders to be put at risk."

The taxi driver said he had been receiving supportive messages from the "true people of Sunderland", but he fears more attacks "not just on mosques, but on shops, hospitals".

"I was born and raised and lived all my life in Sunderland. Today I don't (feel safe).

"Sunderland's my life. I go to the matches, I've got a season ticket. I sit there in amongst the crowd.

"Why shouldn't I feel safe on the streets I was born and lived all my life in?"