A mosque in the Swedish capital of Stockholm has been the target of Islamophobic attacks for over a year, with the latest incident occurring on Wednesday when Muslim faithful read graffiti on the mosque wall with a Swastika sign and the threatening message “kill Muslims.”
The Stockholm Mosque in the capital’s Sodermalm district has been subjected to hate crimes for the second time this week.
It is just one of several threats and hate crimes targeting Muslims over the last year.
On Tuesday, the perpetrator also scrawled graffiti with a Swastika mark and a threatening message, saying “go home” carved on a door, the mosque’s administration said in a post on its website.
Mohamed Amin, a member of the Stockholm Mosque committee, told SVT TV that “soon we will have to put bars in front of the windows to protect them, like in a prison.”
The administration also shared photos of windowpanes smashed by the perpetrators before they left the mosque premises.
Just a couple of weeks ago, a letter containing a powder-like substance was sent to the mosque, and a fake bomb was also reportedly placed at the main entrance.
The mosque had previously been targeted by scrawled doors in November.
“Threats to our mosques must be taken more seriously,” the congregation of the Islamic Association of Stockholm’s mosque issued a statement condemning racist attacks and urging authorities to take action against hate crimes targeting Muslims.
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In a statement issued following the Tuesday incident, the association urged Swedish politicians to prioritize the safety of the Muslim community in the country, saying the safety of Swedish Muslims in general and mosques in particular need to be higher on the political agenda.
“We are witnessing an increased image of threats against mosques and it is fundamentally rooted in anti-Muslim racism that has gained a foothold in the media debate and political discourse.
“It is high time to prioritize these hate crimes so that we can feel safe to enjoy religious freedom.”