Community ‘Hurt’ After Taunton Mosque Vandalised in Hate Crime
Avon and Somerset Police said several windows at Taunton Central Mosque and Islamic Centre on Tower Lane were broken early on 6 September.
A 34-year-old man later handed himself in and was arrested on suspicion of racially or religiously aggravated criminal damage. Officers are continuing to search for a second man in connection with the case.
Sajjad Jabarkhel, who works at the mosque, said the attack had left worshippers deeply unsettled.
“There’s a sense of hurt and disappointment that this has happened and it comes at a cost,” he told ITV News.
He added that most members of the congregation see Taunton as their home, making the vandalism particularly painful.
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Local MP Gideon Amos condemned the act, calling those responsible “weak and cowardly.”
In a post on social media, he said the attackers were “not welcome in our town” and vowed that anyone who vandalises community spaces “will be punished with the full weight of the law.”
Police described the incident as a hate crime and have appealed for information. They are asking witnesses and anyone with CCTV, dashcam, or doorbell footage from the area to contact them.
Source: Agencies
