Fear in Muslim community after school letter threat -Wes Streeting

Wes Streeting wrote to the Home Secretary over the "rise in Islamophobia"

An MP in north-east London says there is "rising fear" in the Muslim community after a local school was sent a threatening letter.

Wes Streeting, Labour MP for Ilford North, said a Muslim school in Redbridge was sent a letter threatening to "kill everyone" during the week.

He called on the Home Secretary to urgently "safeguard Muslim communities from hatred and discrimination".

A Home Office spokesperson said: "We will not tolerate anti-Muslim hatred.

"The Prime Minister has made clear that we stand with UK Muslim communities now and always."

In Mr Streeting's letter sent on 8 December, he said parents and teachers were "fearing for the safety of their children because of the grotesque threat".

He added that the Redbridge school's experience was "by no means the only example of hatred, threats and abuse directed towards Muslim community organisations".

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The Metropolitan Police said it was investigating the matter and would be running increased patrols around the school.

"Officers have been in touch with staff at the school to ensure the relevant security measures are in place," a spokesperson said.

"Inquiries are ongoing to identify who sent the letter. There have been no arrests."

Mr Streeting urged James Cleverly to "release funding for security and reassurance measures" and asked how much of the £24.5m pledged by the Security Minister for the Protective Security of Mosques Scheme for 2023-24 had been allocated to sites in Redbridge.

The spokesperson for the Home Office said Mr Cleverly met with representatives from the Muslim community last week to discuss "the most effective ways of tackling anti-Muslim hatred".

Since the start of the Israel Gaza war, the government has made an additional £4.9m available for protective security at mosques and Muslim faith schools this year and next, the spokesperson added.

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