Bournemouth mosque calls for new security after 'attacks'

Bournemouth Islamic Centre & Central Mosque, in St Stephen’s Road, has called for the council to urgently allow it to build a taller fence and alarm around the religious site. 

It follows “a number of incidents” where members of the public have reportedly attacked the mosque, including by ‘throwing paint and liquid’ at it. 

The Imam, Majid Yasin, said he is concerned for the safety of the women and the children who worship there. 

Imam Majid Yasin (Image: Newsquest)

He said: "We haven’t asked the council for too much, we just want something similar to what next door have, and that is a taller fence. 

“We have been waiting one year now, having had two previous applications rejected, and we are concerned. 

“We want to protect our women and children. One day we had paint thrown at us, another time a window was smashed. People have thrown red paint at the building. 

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“They have thrown the meat of a pig at the door before and have also taken the donation box full of money, too.” 

Majid is worried that a grant given to them by the Home Office, which the mosque applied to for the extra security, will expire. 

He estimates that the cost of adding a new and larger fence, as well as an alarm system, would cost between £40,000 to £45,000. 

The fence would be similar to the ones next door (Image: Google)

In order to be allowed to build the fence, BCP Council needs to give permission, something that is now “highly time critical” because of both safety and to keep the grant from the Home Office. 

“We feel sometimes as a community that we are in the corner and that nobody helps us,” the Imam added. 

“I worry about attacks all the time, we just want security and to protect our women and children.” 

A number of attacks on the mosque have happened in the past

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A design and access statement prepared by HLF Planning, on behalf of the mosque, said: “The security measures proposed within this application are grant funded by the Home Office and such grants have a time expiry that needs to be met.  

“Given the time that has passed to reach this stage, the LPA is politely requested to give this the urgent attention that it needs.” 

A decision has not yet been made on the proposal.