Hate crime: 'We need to ensure places of worship are safe'

MP Stephen Doughty described far right graffiti as "disgusting" when it was daubed on Cardiff buildings last year

A deadline for mosques and churches to seek funding for improved security amid an increase in hate crimes should be extended, an MP has said.

The Home Office has offered to cover 80% of improvements for places of worship in the wake of the Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand.

Cardiff South and Penarth Labour MP Stephen Doughty said some mosques in the city were not aware of the grant.

The Home Office said it had publicised the scheme "in a number of ways".

South Wales Police has assessed 11 institutions seeking funding and Mr Doughty said he had spoken with the representatives of one mosque who would "welcome the funding", but the scheme closes on Saturday.

"We need to be ensuring that all our places of worship are safe and secure given some of the horrific events we've seen internationally," he said.

"Unfortunately, we have seen a rise in hate crime incidents across the UK as a whole and I've certainly seen that myself locally."

Religiously motivated hate crime rose by 40% across England and Wales between 2016-17 and 2017-18, according to Home Office figures. More than half was aimed at Muslims.

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Imam Ahmed Ali: "We have never encountered this type of behaviour before"

Imam Ahmed Ali, from the Al-Ikhlas Islamic Centre in Adamsdown, Cardiff, said members of his congregation had been verbally abused when leaving the building and graffiti had been sprayed on its walls.

However, he said he had not been made aware of the funding by the Home Office, and instead was told about it by his local MP.

He has now applied but believes he may not be eligible for the grant because there is such a high bar for proving that the mosque's community is at risk of hate crime.

"Usually, Cardiff has been known as a safe place to reside in," he said.

But now some women were "afraid" in case they faced "offensive behaviour" when leaving the mosque.

Arooj Khan, 24, from Cardiff, said some mosques in the city have already increased security, with volunteers even standing guard outside while people are praying.

"I do feel concerned, especially during the month of Ramadan when we do pray for a good length of time, about two hours in the night," she said.

"The issue with that is that you do want to concentrate on the praying, but you do have these thoughts running through your head that maybe someone will walk in."

Arooj Khan: "I do feel concerned"

This graffiti was painted on buildings in Cardiff last year

South Wales Police has recorded five incidents of religious or racially motivated hate crimes at places of worship so far this year.

In 2018-19, the force recorded 11 incidents, up from five in 2017-18, including far right graffiti daubed on buildings.

In the past three years, Dyfed-Powys Police recorded seven hate crimes at places of worship - North Wales Police and Gwent Police have been unable to supply figures.

Mr Doughty, who sits on the Home Affairs Select Committee, wants the deadline for organisations to apply for grants to be extended.

The Home Office said places of worship had been made aware of the grant scheme through a national leaflet campaign, media reports and police.

Successful bids will be announced later this year.