Arson Attack on Peacehaven Mosque: Two Elderly Muslims Escape Suspected Hate Crime in England

A mosque in Peacehaven, England became the target of a suspected hate crime on Saturday night when arsonists set it ablaze. Two elderly individuals were inside the building at the time of the attack, according to CNN reports.

Security camera footage captured two masked individuals attempting to break into the mosque before dousing the front entrance with gasoline and igniting it. The resulting fire also destroyed a nearby parked vehicle.

#BREAKING: British youths, angry from forcefully & planned Islamic conversion and Islamic radicali ation set the fire in a newly constructed mosque in Peacehaven, near Brighton, England. Mosque was built by a Pakistani radical Islamists who is pro Hamas and Pro Islamic State (IS) pic.twitter.com/8Ss0d7wXJJ

The chairman of the mosque and another worshipper, both in their sixties, were inside enjoying tea when the attackers struck.

"It could have been murder," a mosque volunteer told the BBC, speaking on condition of anonymity. Fortunately, both individuals managed to escape without injury.

A manager from the mosque informed CNN, "They could have easily died. These people came with full intent to cause maximum damage." He further stated, "The chairman was shaking the whole time, and a neighbour came out onto the street crying. Everyone is scared. If someone was willing to do this, we don't know what's next."

Emergency responders arrived just before 10 pm local time to extinguish the flames. Authorities have not determined whether the suspected arsonists knew people were inside when they initiated the fire.

Sussex Police have classified the incident as a hate crime. Assistant Chief Constable Paul Court stated, "This was an appalling and reckless attack," according to The NY Post.

"Let me be clear: There is no place for hate and division in our communities. Those who are responsible for causing these offences will be dealt with robustly by the police and put before the courts."

Police Commissioner Katy Bourne described the attack as "the height of hateful criminality."

By Monday, authorities had arrested a 46-year-old man on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life, The Guardian reported. Police continue to request witnesses and information regarding the perpetrators.

UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood condemned the incident as a hate crime, according to Associated Press.

A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that the leader was "appalled by the arson attack in Peacehaven." The spokesperson added, "As the home secretary said, attacks against Britain's Muslims are attacks against all Britons and this country itself. Anti-Muslim hatred has no place in Britain."

This incident follows previous harassment targeting the mosque. Last August, the building was attacked twice overnight with eggs, and individuals shouted curses and racial slurs as they passed by, according to the mosque manager.

"But we never expected an attack on this level," he added, per CNN. "The community right now is on their toes. They feel unsafe, they are paranoid. There is a lot going on right now."