Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced an additional £10 million in funding to strengthen security at mosques and Muslim community centres across the country. The move follows a suspected arson attack at a mosque in Peacehaven, East Sussex, earlier this month.
During his visit to the damaged mosque, Starmer said the funding would help ensure that Muslims in Britain could “live in peace and safety.” He added that the attack was not only against one community but “an attack on the entire nation and its values.”
The new funds will expand the existing Protective Security for Mosques Scheme. The government stated that the money will be used for CCTV systems, alarms, secure fencing, and trained security staff at mosques and Muslim faith centres. The funding builds on £29.4 million already allocated this year.
Government data shows that anti-Muslim hate crimes rose by 19 percent in the year ending March 2025, with Muslims accounting for 44 percent of all religious hate crime victims.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood condemned the Peacehaven attack as “an appalling crime that could have had an even more devastating outcome.” She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that everyone in Britain has the right to practice their faith without fear or hatred.
Sussex Police confirmed that three men aged 34, 38, and 42 were arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. No injuries were reported.