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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Hundreds attend open day at mosque defaced after London attack | Hundreds attend open day at mosque defaced after London attack |
| (7 months later) | |
| Teesside mosque hit with Islamophobic graffiti ‘overwhelmed’ by well-wishers who turned up to learn about Islam | |
| Josh Halliday North of England correspondent | |
| Sun 11 Jun 2017 14.45 BST | |
| Last modified on Mon 27 Nov 2017 22.54 GMT | |
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| Hundreds of people have attended an open day for a mosque defaced by Islamophobic graffiti after the London Bridge terror attacks. | Hundreds of people have attended an open day for a mosque defaced by Islamophobic graffiti after the London Bridge terror attacks. |
| The words “Muslim cowards” were sprayed on Thornaby mosque, in Teesside, last Monday – two days after eight people were killed and 48 wounded in the capital. | The words “Muslim cowards” were sprayed on Thornaby mosque, in Teesside, last Monday – two days after eight people were killed and 48 wounded in the capital. |
| Cleveland police said it was treating the vandalism as a hate crime amid a sharp rise in Islamophobic attacks in London and Manchester following the terror attacks in the city. | Cleveland police said it was treating the vandalism as a hate crime amid a sharp rise in Islamophobic attacks in London and Manchester following the terror attacks in the city. |
| The mosque said it had been overwhelmed by the support of the local community after hundreds turned up to learn about Islam on Saturday. | The mosque said it had been overwhelmed by the support of the local community after hundreds turned up to learn about Islam on Saturday. |
| A Thornaby mosque spokesman said it had also been touched by individual acts of kindness. One woman bought a tin of paint and stood out in the rain to remove the graffiti, he said. | A Thornaby mosque spokesman said it had also been touched by individual acts of kindness. One woman bought a tin of paint and stood out in the rain to remove the graffiti, he said. |
| One of the open day’s organisers, Zakir Mahmoud, said the mosque offered residents a “safe space to ask any questions they have, however controversial they think they are, however British they want to be and keep it to themselves and not offend anyone”. | One of the open day’s organisers, Zakir Mahmoud, said the mosque offered residents a “safe space to ask any questions they have, however controversial they think they are, however British they want to be and keep it to themselves and not offend anyone”. |
| Mahmoud told the crowd that the open day was important in breaking down barriers in the community. Referring to the vandalism, he said: “When something like this happens, the mosque and its community can take two responses. | Mahmoud told the crowd that the open day was important in breaking down barriers in the community. Referring to the vandalism, he said: “When something like this happens, the mosque and its community can take two responses. |
| “They can become very insular and people can keep themselves to themselves or they can do what this mosque did and say come and talk to us. | “They can become very insular and people can keep themselves to themselves or they can do what this mosque did and say come and talk to us. |
| “That is the British way – to grab a cup of tea and a biscuit, sit down and talk through the issues.” | “That is the British way – to grab a cup of tea and a biscuit, sit down and talk through the issues.” |
| He added: “We are part of the community, we are British and when things like the attacks in Manchester and London happen, they affect us. | He added: “We are part of the community, we are British and when things like the attacks in Manchester and London happen, they affect us. |
| “I can stand here on behalf of the Muslim community and say we completely condemn the attacks, they do not represent us in any way, shape or form and they go against everything we stand for.” | “I can stand here on behalf of the Muslim community and say we completely condemn the attacks, they do not represent us in any way, shape or form and they go against everything we stand for.” |
| Dr Nav Ahmad, an ear, nose and throat surgeon at James Cook University hospital in Middlesbrough, told the Evening Gazette: “I teach at the mosque about tolerance, loving your neighbours and avoiding any forms of extremism. | Dr Nav Ahmad, an ear, nose and throat surgeon at James Cook University hospital in Middlesbrough, told the Evening Gazette: “I teach at the mosque about tolerance, loving your neighbours and avoiding any forms of extremism. |
| “I think today’s event was really a fantastic success. You always need two hands to have a handshake. | “I think today’s event was really a fantastic success. You always need two hands to have a handshake. |
| “The British public have shown how wonderful they are – they have overcome hate with love. We felt the love of the British public today. | “The British public have shown how wonderful they are – they have overcome hate with love. We felt the love of the British public today. |
| “What was written on the mosque was washed away a thousand times by the love and understanding shown by the public today.” | “What was written on the mosque was washed away a thousand times by the love and understanding shown by the public today.” |
| Suzanne Fletcher, 72, who attended the open day, said: “I wanted to take the opportunity to find out a little more about the Muslim faith. | Suzanne Fletcher, 72, who attended the open day, said: “I wanted to take the opportunity to find out a little more about the Muslim faith. |
| “I thought it was really important to show solidarity because of the way they’ve been demonised in the press.” | “I thought it was really important to show solidarity because of the way they’ve been demonised in the press.” |
| Tracy Fascia, another local resident, said she did not want her “children growing up thinking that they can’t pass a Muslim on the street”. | Tracy Fascia, another local resident, said she did not want her “children growing up thinking that they can’t pass a Muslim on the street”. |
| “I’ve always thought of us as a tight community and for somebody to actually think that that was acceptable and for children to walk past to go to school and see that type of thing is just wrong,” she told the BBC. | “I’ve always thought of us as a tight community and for somebody to actually think that that was acceptable and for children to walk past to go to school and see that type of thing is just wrong,” she told the BBC. |
| Thornaby Muslim Association was set up in 1976 by six Muslim families who lived in Thornaby, six miles south-west of Middlesbrough. Today, about 300 people attend the mosque. | Thornaby Muslim Association was set up in 1976 by six Muslim families who lived in Thornaby, six miles south-west of Middlesbrough. Today, about 300 people attend the mosque. |
| London Bridge attack | |
| Islam | |
| Middlesbrough | |
| news | |
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