Latest news with #SouthLakesIslamicCentre
BBC News
22-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Abuse towards Dalton-in-Furness mosque leads to extra police patrols
Police patrols are being stepped up following a rise in online abuse directed against the construction of a new South Lakes Islamic Centre in Dalton-in-Furness in Cumbria is being spearheaded by a group of Muslim doctors at Barrow's Furness General month, UKIP leader Nick Tenconi filmed himself visiting the site and shouting "traitor" at several of the site's construction Tenconi said he had "deliberately stood up" for the people of Dalton and criticised the local authority for allowing the "Islamic caliphate" into Britain. On Saturday, between 150 and 200 protesters and counter protesters attended the site, according to Cumbria force said it made three arrests though the majority of people acted in a "safe manner".In June, UKIP posted a video on the social media site X in which Mr Tenconi, who became the party's leader in February, was standing outside the site and telling those working on the construction: "When an illegal, who gets housed here because there's a mosque, goes on to rape and murder – the blood is on your hands."An official from the mosque said the video had been reported to police and a temporary fence was being built at the front of the site so people could not film and "harass" mosque was also hiring a security guard to protect the site overnight, they said. Cumbria Police declined to comment on specific reports but said it had increased patrols in the area, was monitoring online comments and threads, and was investigating potential posts on social media mentioned the names of the companies involved in building the mosque which was a "deliberate effort to harass them", the mosque official said. Rumours and disinformation about the plans prompted Westmorland and Furness Council to release fact-checking included correcting the notion it would be a "mega-mosque" in the Lake District, as it would be a 33ft (10m) tall and 98ft (30m) long and outside the Lake District National was also never the case that an application for a children's home had been turned down at the site, the local authority proposals for the mosque were first made, the then Barrow Council received 21 objections, 18 responses in support and eight neutral comments, it of those objections were linked to the lack of parking provision and the site's impact on the local ecology. The mosque would be over 40 miles (64km) from the next nearest and is due to be completed by early resident Bob Mantle, who is a member of the Dalton Community Church, said he found the attacks against the Islamic Centre "very sad"."I would hate it if I was a Christian and had to travel some 50 miles (80km) to go to church, I would think it was terrible," he Mantle said everyone in Dalton seemed "twitchy" about the new mosque and there was a lot of "bile" being published on local Facebook groups."I would love to think that when it's actually built… that people will settle down and realise it's not been the threat they thought it was," he said. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Telegraph
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Lake District mosque protesters are racist, says Labour MP
Lake District residents campaigning against the construction of a new mosque have been criticised as racist by a local Labour MP. Police were called as protesters, who support and oppose the new development, clashed on Saturday outside the building site for the controversial £2.5m mosque. Demonstrators holding placards with messages reading 'Muslims welcome here' were met with protesters holding Union flags with messages reading: 'No to the mosque' and 'Not racist! Just patriotic!'. Michelle Scrogham, a Labour MP for Barrow and Furness who attended the counter-protest, responded to the objections by saying: 'There's absolutely no place for racism in Cumbria.' She added: 'The comments that plague the social media pages constantly don't represent the people of this area. 'The people of this area have always been incredibly welcoming. We've had immigration on a mass scale for many, many years. 'Anybody that wants to come here and say you're not welcome, they're wrong. It's just utterly wrong.' Construction of the South Lakes Islamic Centre, situated in Furness, Cumbria, started in January this year. The centre will be the only masjid within a 50-mile radius, serving both the local Muslim community and visiting tourists. The group said the space would cater to the 40 to 50 practising Muslim doctors at Furness General Hospital and their families. Protests have previously taken place on the site, with both sides of the debate shouting at each other across the road last month as the anti-mosque group waved the Union flag. Paul Jenkins, who organised a counter-protest on behalf of Furness Stand Up To Racism, said: 'The protest against the Islamic Centre does not speak for the majority of people in Dalton or Furness. 'The majority of our people here are from Furness, including Dalton. We celebrate our multicultural, multi-faith community and defend the right of the Islamic Centre to be here.' Henry Goodwin, a demonstrator, said: 'There are five British values, which include tolerance of other people's faiths and beliefs. 'We're standing up for proper British values.' Opponents have criticised the development, saying it is not needed in Furness, although those demonstrating against the mosque refused to speak to reporters on the ground. Residents have previously voiced their concerns over social media about the construction of the mosque, calling it an ' absolute monstrosity '. Another said: 'Absolutely disgusting… total blot on the landscape … totally unwelcome … how on earth has this been passed in planning?' One other resident said: 'There goes the beautiful Lake District – with a huge building plonked there.' Planning approval for the mosque was granted in Dec 2022 after 30 objections were raised.
Daily Mail
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Protest outside the construction site of a controversial £2.5 million mosque sees police called as rival factions clash
Police were called to a protest outside the construction site of a controversial £2.5million mosque as rival factions clashed. People gathered around the building site of the three-storey South Lakes Islamic Centre in Furness, Cumbria, on Saturday. Demonstrators holding placards with messages reading 'Muslims welcome here' butted heads with protesters waving Union Jack flags with messages reading 'No to the mosque' and 'Not racist! Just patriotic!'. A local Labour MP, who attended the protest, slammed anti-mosque protesters as racist. Construction on the mosque started in January this year with those behind the ambitious plans claiming it will be the first mosque in the South Lakes area of the Lake District. Standing opposite the anti-mosque protesters, Paul Jenkins, who organised a counter-protest on behalf of Furness Stand Up To Racism, said: 'The protest against the Islamic Centre does not speak for the majority of people in Dalton or Furness. 'The majority of our people here are from Furness, including Dalton. We celebrate our multicultural, multifaith community and defend the right of the Islamic centre to be here.' Local Labour MP Michelle Scrogham, who was first elected in July last year, also attended the counter-protest. She said: 'I am here because there's absolutely no place for racism in Cumbria. The comments that plague the social media pages constantly don't represent the people of this area. 'The people of this area have always been incredibly welcoming. We've had immigration on a mass scale for many, many years. 'People that moved here in the 1800s - they weren't from round here - this town is built on immigration. 'The number of people who have moved here for jobs and work and settled with their families and nothing has changed at all. 'Anybody that wants to come here and say you're not welcome they're wrong. It's just utterly wrong.' Demonstrator Henry Goodwin said: 'There are five British values, which include tolerance of other people's faiths and beliefs. 'We're standing up for proper British values.' Amy Heild said: 'I had a look for some quotes from the Quran and the Bible. 'In both religions I found lots of examples where they are advocating for peace and tolerance of people's different faiths and religion, and looking at how God would look favourably on people that support people outside of their own faith and the human right to dignity in their own beliefs.' A local Labour MP, who attended the protest, slammed anti-mosque protesters as racist Those demonstrating against the mosque refused to speak to reporters on the ground. Planning approval for the mosque was granted in December 2022 after 30 objections were raised. Opponents have raised concerns about the development, saying it is not needed in Furness, while supporters say the centre would provide a much-needed place of worship for hundreds of Muslim families living in the area. Earlier this year, representatives from the South Lakes Islamic Centre said construction had been delayed due to negative television coverage. In a YouTube video, a representative said: 'The concrete, which was supposed to come this week, has been delayed because of the GB News coverage. 'It's just the challenges we face; it's a difficult area to build, but we are progressing very quickly.'
Telegraph
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
How the debate about Islam in Britain is playing out in planning rows over mosques
The joyful peal of church bells is cascading down from St Mary's belfry across the little Cumbrian town of Dalton-in-Furness. Pedestrians smile as the chimes resonate, filling the summer air. Whether they are regular churchgoers or not, to the locals it's a comforting sound, a familiar sound that represents continuity, constancy, community. 'The bells are tradition, they are part of what makes us British. If they start calling from that new mosque, it would be unacceptable,' says one elderly parishioner with a frown. 'I'm not racist, but everybody else round here feels the same.' And in truth, everybody in the town does say the same. The phrase 'I'm not racist, but…' is repeated like a mantra. From: 'I'm not racist, but I don't see why we need a mosque,' to 'I'm not racist, but why couldn't they just convert an existing building?', there is genuine puzzlement and unease over the construction of a three-storey mosque outside a town of some 7,000 souls without any large Muslim population. There has also been anger, much of it perpetrated online by outsiders. Last month, police attended protests and counter protests as opposing sides engaged in heated exchanges. It has been alleged that far-Right activists waving Union Jack [and Knights Templar] flags were bussed in for the occasion, lending credence to suggestions that Islamophobia was a major driver in the demonstration. At issue is the construction of the £2.5 million South Lakes Islamic Centre in Crooklands Brow, paid for by Muslim doctors at the General Hospital in Barrow-in-Furness who wanted to have a place for worship, the nearest mosque currently being 50 miles away in Lancaster. Westmorland and Furness council's Conservative deputy leader Matt Brereton has defended the decision, pointing out said there is a 'sizeable Islamic faith community' in the wider Furness area. 'I don't really see there should be an issue in terms of them having somewhere they can celebrate their faith,' he told the media. He may not have wanted to acknowledge it, but the truth is that Durton-in-Furness is not the only flashpoint. News headlines tell the same story. In Leicester: 'Beloved former pub to be converted into mosque despite local opposition.' In Essex: 'Fury in Romford over new mosque plans ('We already have one, we don't need one on every corner'), and in North Yorkshire ('Anonymous letters sent to residents to oppose plans for the first mosque in Harrogate'). It's hard to escape the conclusion that these rows over bricks and mortar are fast becoming a proxy for debate about the growth of Islam and the expansion of multiculturalism in modern Britain. Official figures from the website show there are 1,884 mosques in the UK, up from 1,640 in 2015. Although there's evidence of a Muslim presence in Britain as far back as the 16th century, the first purpose-built mosque in Britain was opened in 1889; earlier Muslim communities worshipped more informally. There's a long tradition of remodelling disused churches and other buildings. As the number of Muslims increases it seems likely there will be greater demand for additional, dedicated places of worship. According to the 2021 census, there were 3.8 million Muslims living in England, or 6.7 per cent of the population, up from 4.9 per cent in 2011. 'I don't think it's reasonable to object to the building of a new mosque,' is the verdict of Lord Goodman of Wycombe, Conservative peer and former MP for Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has a sizeable ethnic minority population, rising as high as 50 per cent in some areas. 'What is reasonable is to be concerned about what happens in a tiny minority of existing mosques.' His words raise a crucial question: is it fair or even accurate to denounce anyone who raises objections as a racist? According to Shahed Saleem, senior lecturer in the School of Architecture and Cities at the University of Westminster, and author of The British Mosque: An Architectural and Social History, the answer is a resounding 'no'. 'There's nothing inherently racist about local people in the Lake District voicing their opposition to proposals for a new mosque,' says Saleem, who co-curated the V&A Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2021. 'But the emphasis is very much on 'local'. If someone in Wolverhampton starts saying 'I don't want a mosque in the Lake District', that is racism.' Saleem points to 'myriad reasons' why anyone might be unhappy about a new mosque in their area. 'It could be parking, the fact they don't want a religious building of any sort, or the potential noise,' he says. 'People are always going to be concerned about change in their neighbourhood and how anything new will impact them, be it a mosque or a supermarket, and you have to give them the benefit of the doubt that this is where their concerns are coming from.' Certainly everyone I spoke to in Dalton-in-Furness seemed far more exercised about parking than anything else, and despite one woman's consternation at the prospect of an imam calling his congregation to prayer, the planned mosque doesn't have a minaret. But misinformation goes hand in hand with campaigns orchestrated elsewhere. 'Unfortunately, planning permission for mosques have become a lightning rod around which racist and far-Right activists coalesce,' says Saleem. 'People already resistant to the building for practical reasons can get manipulated into joining forces with Islamophobes.' Objections to building Islamic places of worship in Britain, Europe and beyond are now so commonplace that the emerging phenomenon has been dubbed 'mosquephobia'. It was first identified by visiting academic Professor Ali Alraouf at an event held in University College London. He defined it as 'a rejection and resistance… to the dominating image of the mosque' in British towns and cities. In short, local objections are primarily against the building itself rather than its congregation. Follow-up research shows that once the mosque is up and running, public antipathy fizzles out. But not everyone agrees that there's an even playing field in the first place. I spoke to several dissenting expert voices who aired very different opinions – on condition they remained anonymous. 'There is two-tier engagement at work in Britain among the local authorities,' one told me. 'The police and councils go to great lengths to engage with Muslim community leaders,' another said. 'Christian churches aren't viewed in the same way. There is a distinct bias at work.' That is certainly a topic touched upon by local people. 'I worry about this country,' says Carol Lacey, 71, a grandmother of three. 'I'm really not a racist, but seeing mosques being built I think sends out the wrong message to illegal immigrants in small boats. What sort of a Britain will my grandchildren grow up in?' Another expert I spoke to claimed that double standards have also been adopted by planning departments across the country. 'When any sort of planning proposal is submitted for a mosque, it feels very much as though the council will bend over backwards to accommodate them,' this expert told me. 'As a result, local people are looking at their community and seeing changes they didn't ask for and didn't vote for and weren't properly consulted over, yet they are afraid to speak out for fear of being branded Islamophobic.' On the face of it, it's understandable why Islamic buildings, and most specifically minarets, would arouse strong feelings in a nation of cathedral spires and church towers. The acceptance of minorities who have other religious practices is largely predicated on them not altering the physical landscape. 'When I moved [here], one of my reasons for selecting the area was that it was a pleasant, quiet, typically turn-of-the-century residential area. Architecturally, the locality, including the church… forms a consistent whole, with buildings of characteristic and pleasing proportions. I feel that the introduction of a minaret would be completely out of character as to be a serious detriment to the area. 'I can believe, and accept freely, that there is a need for a place of worship such as the mosque in this area, but feel that a minaret is not an essential adjunct to such worship.' When was this objection lodged to a mosque in Wimbledon, in south London? Way back in 1977, almost five decades ago. No figures are available from that period, but in 1983 the British Social Attitudes Survey indicated that around 68 per cent of the population identified as Christian. But can Britain really consider itself Christian in the 21st century? Looking at the data from the Office for National Statistics, the 2021 census revealed that Christians now account for less than half of England and Wales' population. Just 46.2 per cent of the population (27.5 million people) described themselves as 'Christian' in 2021, marking a 13.1 percentage point decrease from 59.3 per cent (33.3 million people) in 2011. 'People in Britain are resigned to the slow decline of our traditional religion into irrelevance – young people just aren't interested,' says an unnamed expert on inter-faith relations. 'By comparison, Islam is a very confident and youthful faith, growing in size and importance. That is a worry to parts of the population, and unless we discuss it openly, the far-Right can take advantage.' The consequences are already being seen. All too frequently the fear that ordinary citizens have of being branded racists stymies healthy, legitimate debate. Instead, public discourse ends up being dominated by extremists, who are racist. For Qari Asim, the imam at Leeds Makkah Masjid and chairman of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, openness is the way forward. His mosque is unofficially twinned with All Hallows Church in the city, and they both contribute to the local food bank. In Birmingham, there are interfaith environmental projects underway. 'Many large mosques now have multiple use spaces, so all community groups can use them,' says Asim. 'Some have cafés, and even gyms. If more non-Muslims can see that these aren't mysterious, exclusive places, it will reduce resistance and lead to better relations.' He acknowledges that since the terrible attacks of 7/7 in 2005, which were solemnly commemorated this month, the suspicion arose that mosques were 'bomb-making factories where people were brainwashed and radicalised'. He avers the very opposite is true. 'If there's a need but no central place for worship, people will meet in each other's houses or hire spaces where they will not be subject to safeguarding issues,' he emphasises. 'There's always the potential for people abusing the faith for their own political or personal agenda, so it's much better that there are regulated places of worship where there will be official oversight into all the activities going on there.' It is a radical new argument; namely that mosques should be viewed as a robust way of countering radicalisation. For all our cosy nostalgia when it comes to church bells and evocative spires, could it be that the presence of Islamic architecture in suburbia will provide a sense of security rather than provoking unease? Maybe not today, but tomorrow. The demographics speak for themselves, concludes Lord Goodman. 'If you look at population trends,' he says, 'Islam is going to play a much bigger role in the life of Britain, and it's something we all have to try to negotiate successfully.'
Daily Mail
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Inside the sleepy Lake District town torn apart by mosque row: Neighbours turn on each other in bitter split over £2.5m Islamic centre plan
It's a usually sleepy small town on the edge of the Lake District but the tourist trade invariably passes it by so Dalton-in-Furness rarely commands any national attention. But suddenly this historic Cumbrian market town of just 8,000 residents finds itself bitterly divided - with a number of increasingly angry protests making waves. The issue that has sparked this abrupt change of mood is the proposed construction of the 'South Lakes Islamic Centre' - a three-storey mosque currently taking shape on its outskirts. What began as a simple planning application by a group of Muslim doctors based at nearby Barrow-in-Furness hospital this week led to far-right protesters and counter-protesters waving placards and flinging insults at each other. The £2.5million project, which proposes to cater for some 50 Muslim medical staff and their families, has triggered outrage among some residents, while others have rallied to defend it as a symbol of tolerance and progress. Sheila McLarnon, 77, a chiropodist who has lived in Dalton for decades, has banned customers from discussing the mosque at her home clinic, located a stone's throw away. She accused some locals opposing its construction of racism. Mrs McLarnon said: 'I'm disappointed in the attitude of people round here and it comes down to racism. What began as a simple planning application by a group of Muslim doctors based at nearby Barrow-in-Furness hospital this week led to far-right protesters and counter-protesters waving placards and flinging insults at each other 'I'm a chiropodist. I've got a clinic here at the house and I won't let my patients say negative things about it because they'll come in and say, "What about the bloody mosque then?" 'One man even said, "Oh, it's just going to be a bomb-making factory". 'That is the kind of thing they've decided is going to come to Dalton and it's obviously just nonsense. 'There are legitimate concerns about parking and access, but sadly this area is quite racist and I think that's the root of it.' Husband Gerry, 77, a retired police officer, added: 'We are committed Catholics and nobody's ever tried to stop us going to church. I think it's just a minority making the trouble.' The South Lakes Islamic Centre say the building will serve Muslim families who currently must make the 100-mile round trip to the nearest masjid in Lancaster. They say its construction has faced repeated obstacles – including local suppliers allegedly refusing to deliver materials. The debate over the mosque, built outside of the boundaries of the Lake District National Park, has pitted neighbours against each other. Near to the mosque, a man, who did not want to give his name, said: 'People are falling out over this. There are neighbours who don't speak to each other anymore, because they've been called racist. 'These are people who have been friends for years. All falling out over a b****y mosque. I think it's daft. It's getting built and we all need to get on.' In recent days, protestors have turned out waving Union Jacks and Knights Templar flags outside the construction site. Their demonstrations were matched by counter-protests from anti-racism groups. Among those in the town to oppose the development was businessman Gary Peaker, 54. He said he was perplexed as to why the mosque was being sited in Dalton - two-and-a-half miles from the General Hospital in neighbouring Barrow-in-Furness. He claimed the 'majority' of people in the town were against the development and accused council officials of failing to properly consult. Planning permission was granted in December 2022 after 30 representations were made, and construction began earlier this year. Mr Peaker said: 'Dalton is a tiny little town with an even smaller contingent of people who would actually go there. 'Yet this mosque is three storeys - it's huge. It's an absolute eyesore. 'I feel sorry for the people who have their houses nearby because it's going to wipe thousands off the value of those houses. 'There are plenty of buildings in Barrow that could have been repurposed, rather than building it here. 'People here feel that they've been excluded from the planning process. They want to see the building work stop and the planning application fully reviewed.' The South Lakes Islamic Centre charity said the new building would serve both the local Muslim community and visiting tourists. It will also allow 'professionals, business communities and other trade workers who will need basic prayer, burial, teaching and community facilities'. A neighbour, who asked not to be named, accused the centre of going beyond what it had initially planned to build. She said: 'When it first started, we got a little flyer through the door. It read: "Hello, brothers, we want to buy this land". 'Well, we thought it was a joke, to be honest. I've got nothing against a mosque but what is being built is just way out of proportion. 'From what we know, there were three better sites nearer the hospital in Barrow and the council rejected them all because they didn't want the mosque in Barrow. 'And so they've shoved it into Dalton and in completely the wrong place. 'This is a busy road. There's been so many people killed on this road over the years. Where are all these cars going to park? 'The council has just been so secretive and duplicitous. Getting any answers out of them has been impossible. 'I am very grateful for the Muslim doctors and the nurses, very grateful. But this is in the wrong spot.' Sarah Coltherd, 29, a care worker, said she disagreed with those campaigning against the mosque. She said of the protesters: 'They're happy to have a Muslim doctor look after them in hospital – they've got no problem with that. 'Why is it a problem allowing them to have somewhere to pray? They completely have the right to practice their religion.' Linda Greaves, 75, said she believed there was a 'racial element' to opposition of the mosque. She added: 'It's being built and it's going to happen and I think people just need to get on with it. 'They're not going to stop work now. Everyone's got their own opinions on it. I think there's probably a racial element to it. 'But, personally, I have no issue. It's not going to affect me.' Passing the mosque, a jogger who asked not to be named, said he was ashamed of the far-right protests, which he said were composed of 'people bussed in from outside' rather then locals. He said: 'Normal Muslims are the same as normal Christians. They are peaceful people who put their families first and are law-abiding. 'I feel sorry for the neighbouring houses because, sadly, I don't think this an issue that will go away. 'It can't be nice living there in relatively expensive houses and having trouble on your doorstep. They're the people I feel sorry for.' In late March, the representative for South Lakes Islamic Centre alleged there had been delays in the delivery of material to the site due to negative coverage on TV. In a YouTube video, a representative from the organisation said work to pour concrete into the foundations had been 'delayed' and that 'local suppliers have refused to deal with us'. 'The concrete, which was supposed to come this week, has been delayed because of the GB News coverage,' the video alleged. 'It's just the challenges we face; it's a difficult area to build, but we are progressing very quickly.' The spokesman claimed some quarries had also 'declined' to give stones to the centre. Construction for the place of worship has continued since the alleged delays. Residents have previously voiced their concerns over social media for the construction of the mosque. One said: 'Absolute monstrosity in the Lake District.' Another said: 'Absolutley DISGUSTING * total blot on the landscape * totally unwelcome * how on earth has this been passed in planning.' One other resident said: 'There's goes the beautiful Lake District - with a huge building plonked there.' Mandy Penellum, secretary of Barrow's Trades Council, is among those to have voiced support for the Islamic Centre. She said previously: 'There is a narrative here that's been perpetuated - that the Islamic Centre's not welcome - and that's not everybody's view by any stretch of the imagination. 'We've always been a welcoming and tolerant community here and people have come out to show that. You only have to look at Furness General Hospital, with staff from all over the world - it's important everybody has a space to worship. 'The centre is also going to be an asset for community use and I think it's really important that people understand that and acknowledge the fact that we're all human beings, we all have a right and a space to pray.'
