British premier visits UK mosque after arson attack, pledges $13.3M in funding for Muslims

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday announced an additional £10 million (approximately $13.3 million) in security funding to protect Muslim communities from hate crimes and attacks, following his visit to a mosque in Peacehaven that was targeted in a suspected arson attack earlier this month.

During his visit on Thursday, Starmer said the funding would provide Muslim communities with protection, “allowing them to live in peace and safety.”

He added that Britain is a “proud and tolerant country” and that “attacks on any community are attacks on our entire nation and our values.”

No one was injured in the fire, which damaged the front entrance of the Peacehaven mosque and a car on Oct. 4. Sussex Police said officers were treating the incident as a hate crime.

According to the government, the additional funding for mosques and Muslim faith centers will go towards security measures such as CCTV, alarm systems, secure fencing, and security staff.

Relatives of a member of the mosque who fled from inside when the door was torched told Starmer that he had “become withdrawn after the incident.”

“We shouldn’t need to have security in places of worship, and it’s sad that we do,” the premier told members of the community.

The additional £10 million builds on the £29.4 million already available this year for mosques and Muslim faith schools, the government said in a statement.

Recent months have seen several attacks on mosques.

During last summer’s violent disorder, mosques in Southport, Hull, and Sunderland were targeted, causing significant distress to local communities.

The most recent hate crime statistics show that anti-Muslim hate crimes rose by 19% in the year ending March 2025, with 44% of all recorded religious hate crimes targeting Muslims.

“Britain is a proud and tolerant country. Attacks on any community are attacks on our entire nation and our values. This funding will provide Muslim communities with the protection they need and deserve, allowing them to live in peace and safety," Starmer said in a statement.

“I want a Britain built for all and my government is committed to delivering safer streets for everyone – and that means protecting places of worship from those who seek to divide us through hate and violence," he added.