Muslim leaders in Glasgow have said they are “not going anywhere” after racially aggravated graffiti was sprayed on a mosque earlier this week.
Officers were called after ‘Scots First’ appeared on Glasgow Central Mosque on Adelphi Street on Monday, which police confirmed is being treated as a hate crime.
The incident has shaken the local Muslim community and left people feeling fearful according to Omar Afzal, the director of public affairs at the Scottish Association of Mosques.
“The act of vandalism that we saw at the Glasgow Central Mosque is one of many that have happened across the country,” Mr Afzal said.
“It’s a worrying pattern, and it comes from this narrative of migrants and Muslims not belonging in Scotland, and really the community is quite fearful now and is really feeling under attack.”
He added: “Muslims are part and parcel of the fabric of this city, and looking forward, nothing is going to stop us from still being a leading civic organisation in the city.
“For Muslims, Scotland is our home and we’re not going anywhere.”
STV NewsMr Afzal added that the political rhetoric around migrants and people with backgrounds from outside Scotland is “incredibly dangerous and quite hurtful”.
“We’re part and parcel of the story of this country and we need to not fall into the trap of division, which is what is happening by weaponizing legitimate concerns that people have and turning that into something that is racist and anti-Islamic,” he said.
In a show of solidarity, Scottish secretary of state Douglas Alexander, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, and other politicians, including Labour MP for Glasgow South West Dr Zubir Ahmed, met with the Glasgow Central Mosque community on Friday afternoon.
STV NewsThe convoy also delivered a letter of support from the Prime Minister, which Dr Ahmed said offered solidarity to the people of Glasgow and stated anti-Muslim hatred and racism is “unacceptable” and won’t be tolerated.
Dr Ahmed, who has been coming to the Glasgow Central Mosque for the last 40 years, said the graffiti has “no connection” to the national debate over immigration.
“Legitimate concerns about immigration have nothing to do with the overt racism and anti-Muslim hatred we’ve seen over the last few weeks and months in this country,” he said.
“I believe in the decency of the people of Glasgow, the people of Scotland, and the people of Britain. I believe what happened outside there this week in no way represents the vast majority of this country.
He added: “I think the narrative has been hijacked and it’s up to people like me and the decent people of Glasgow to stand up and be heard.”
In a parting message to the mosque vandals, Dr Ahmed said the UK Government, MPs, the Muslim community, and the wider community of Glasgow are all united against them.
“You’ll be defeated because we know you are the very, very small minority of people in our city,” he said.
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