Graffiti on mosque in Scotland, “Saracen go home”
Categories: Latest News
Monday December 19 2016
The Independent, Scottish Sun and BBC News report on an act of vandalism on the premises of a mosque in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire over the weekend.
The incident is believed to have happened between 9pm on Friday 16 and 7.30am on Saturday 17 December. Worshippers noticed the graffiti when they arrived for early morning prayers on Saturday morning.
The words “Saracen go home” and “Deus Vult”, a Latin term meaning “God wills it” were daubed on the outer walls of the Islamic Education Trust (mosque).
The abuse terms are relics of the Crusades when they were “used by Christian soldiers and writers”.
The Independent notes that the phrases have regained popularity in far right circles and there have been reported incidents of similar racist graffiti in the US.
Azhar Din of the Islamic Education Trust said CCTV footage from the mosque was being recovered and examined. He added that the centre had been targeted in the past, referring to “isolated incidents” where “windows were broken” and “stones thrown”, but said these were “nothing major.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson confirmed the incident report stating the matter is under investigation and police inquiries are continuing.
“This matter is being treated as a hate crime. Hate crime remains a priority for Police Scotland and we are working closely with our criminal justice partners to do everything in our power to protect all communities and eradicate all forms of hatred,” the spokesperson added.