The vandalism was discovered on Monday morning, with images and footage revealing that a series of headstones in the Muslim section of Burnley Cemetery had been targeted.
Both the police and Burnley Council are investigating the incident, which follows a week of unrest and racist protests nationwide. It is not yet known if this vandalism is connected to the recent disturbances.
The police have started an investigation, and Burnley Council has condemned the actions of those responsible.
That evening, members of the community came together to clean the affected headstones. The council noted that individuals from various faiths participated in the cleanup, and a thorough cleaning by specialists is scheduled.
Father Alex Frost and Kat Gregory-Witham expressed their dismay, stating: “We are deeply troubled by what has happened and are saddened that our Muslim community families have had to witness such distressing scenes in the cemetery.
If this were a grave of your loved one, how would you feel? We stand united, and such harmful actions will not be tolerated here. I urge Burnley residents to focus on unity and act with kindness and peace.”
Councillor Afrasiab Anwar MBE, Leader of Burnley Council, commented: “We are collaborating with the police to find and address those responsible as quickly as possible. CCTV footage from the cemetery is being reviewed, and we are ensuring increased police presence in the area.
We have arranged for a specialist memorial mason to clean the graves urgently, and we are reaching out to the affected families. Such actions are meant to incite division, but I encourage everyone to remain calm and not react to these provocations.”
A police spokesperson said: “We have initiated an investigation into criminal damage reported today (Monday, August 5).
We received a call around 4:15 p.m. regarding paint poured over headstones in the Muslim burial section of Burnley Cemetery.
This matter is being treated as a hate crime, and we are committed to identifying and prosecuting the offenders. Anyone with information should contact the police on 101, quoting log 0982 of August 5.”
Over the weekend, anti-immigration protests occurred in Preston and Blackburn in Lancashire.
Across the county, 22 people were arrested—20 in Blackpool, one in Blackburn, and one in Preston. Of the 22 detained, 18 have been released on bail, one under investigation, and three have been charged.
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