"At the moment we don’t know the motive for last night’s attacks… The force and the Counter Terrorism Unit are working side-by-side to find whoever is responsible," chief constable Dave Thompson was quoted as saying by West Midlands police.
Police were alerted at 2:32 a.m. on Thursday to reports of a man smashing windows with a sledgehammer at the mosque on Birchfield Road. They arrived within minutes to find that the assault took place some time earlier.
#Birmingham mosques were attacked last night with sledgehammers… pic.twitter.com/kgSUGDZBM4
— DOAM (@doamuslims) March 21, 2019
They were alerted to a similar attack at the mosque on Slade Road less than an hour later. Patrols were stepped up in areas with mosques leading to the discovery of damage at two more places of worship.
Windows of five mosques in #Aston area of #Birmingham were smashed last night. pic.twitter.com/royGUoAdK1
— DOAM (@doamuslims) March 21, 2019
Thompson said police had been working closely with the faith community after last Friday’s gun attacks on two mosques in New Zealand claimed 50 lives. He stressed that officers were doing all they could to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Witton Islamic Centre in #Birmingham had its windows smashed overnight. This was one of many Islamic centres / mosques that were vandalised overnight.
— Majid Freeman (@Majstar7) March 21, 2019
How lom before they actually try kill Muslims in mosques?
Please be vigilant and report anything suspicious.#Islamophobia pic.twitter.com/9EQCHRCGu1
Commenting on the attacks, UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid said on Twitter it was "deeply concerning" and "distressing" to see a number of mosques vandalized in Birmingham. He stressed that hateful behaviour "has absolutely no place in our society" and will never be accepted.
