Anti-Mosque Protests in UK’s Furness Condemned by MP as Racist
On Saturday, tensions escalated outside the South Lakes Islamic Centre construction site in Furness, where groups for and against the project held rival demonstrations.
Supporters carried signs saying “Muslims welcome here,” while opponents waved Union flags alongside messages such as “No to the mosque” and “Not racist! Just patriotic!”
The mosque, a £2.5 million development, began construction in January. Once completed, it will serve as the only Islamic centre within a 50-mile radius, offering worship space to local Muslims and visitors alike, according to The Telegraph.
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According to its backers, the centre will support dozens of Muslim doctors working at Furness General Hospital and provide a religious hub for their families and others in the region.
Michelle Scrogham, the Labour MP for Barrow and Furness, who joined the pro-mosque demonstrators, strongly condemned the rhetoric coming from opponents.
“There’s absolutely no place for racism in Cumbria,” she said, adding that online comments against the project do not reflect the values of the wider community.
She continued, “The people of this area have always been incredibly welcoming. We’ve had immigration on a mass scale for many, many years. Anybody that wants to come here and say you’re not welcome, they’re wrong. It’s just utterly wrong.”
While critics of the mosque deny that their opposition is rooted in racism, framing their stance as patriotic, their language and symbolism—such as nationalistic slogans and flag-waving—raise questions about whether cultural bias plays a role. Branding a place of worship as unwelcome in a diverse society, particularly when it serves healthcare workers and long-time residents, strikes many as discriminatory, regardless of intent.
Saturday’s demonstration followed similar scenes last month, where both sides clashed across the road, each asserting their vision of local identity.
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Paul Jenkins, speaking on behalf of Furness Stand Up To Racism, organized the counter-protest and emphasized local support for the centre.
“The protest against the Islamic Centre does not speak for the majority of people in Dalton or Furness,” he said.
“We celebrate our multicultural, multi-faith community and defend the right of the Islamic Centre to be here.”
Local police were present during the protest to manage tensions, but no major incidents were reported.
Source: Agencies
