UK rolls out consultation to protect faith institutions as hate incidents rise

Far-right activists have been spreading false claims about mosques violating lockdown orders

UK rolls out consultation to protect faith institutions following global terror attacks. EPA

British officials have launched a consultation with faith leaders to give institutions more security due to a rise in hate incidents, including mosque attacks.
It has already granted £14 million to the UK's Jewish community for security measures for schools and institutions.
The UK has recorded a seven per cent rise in anti-Semitic incidents to 1,805 last year from 1,690 in 2018.
The protection of places of worship consultation has been launched in the wake of global terror attacks and incidents in the UK, including the Finsbury Park Mosque attack.

In recent weeks far-right extremists have been targeting British Muslims through fake social media posts and recycled videos that falsely suggested mosques were breaking new rules aimed at stemming social gatherings to combat coronavirus.

Online messages included claims that Muslims were continuing to gather as normal at a mosque in an English town that did not have one, and footage of a gathering in London that pre-dated the lockdown.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said: "Many will remember the first few months of 2019, which saw a string of horrendous attacks on places of worship across the globe. Across the UK places of worship have been targeted, from arson attacks on mosques to neo-Nazi graffiti daubed on synagogues. These attacks do not go unchallenged.
"Alongside our extensive counter-terror policing efforts, local police, community and faith groups work hard to protect places of worship.
"The sad truth is that people coming together for peaceful worship will always be a target for those who use violence to spread hatred and fear. The Government's priority is to preserve open and free worship, offering every protection we can to faith leaders and religious institutions.

"We have launched this consultation to look at what is being done already, how well it is working, and how we can best enhance that protection in the future."
Under the government's Places of Worship Protective Security Funding scheme £1.6 million has been issued for 2019-20 for physical security measures for places of worship.
The figure will be doubled to £3.2 million for 2020-21.
The funding has come on the back of the New Zealand Christchurch mosque attack which saw 51 people killed last year and the Sri Lanka Easter massacre which saw suicide bombers kill more than 250 people in churches.
In the the five years since funding began in 2015, a total of £79.2 million has been handed out.
Minister for Countering Extremism Baroness Williams said: "No one should feel afraid for practising their religion. We are committed to ensuring our places of worship remain safe spaces for worship, contemplation and reflection.
"Only by working together can we ensure that hateful behaviour like antisemitism can be fully eliminated from our society."
The consultation is due to run until May 10 and is being carried out by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), on behalf of the Home Office.