Mosque in Peacehaven set ablaze in suspected hate crime amid rising religious tensions
Police are investigating a suspected hate crime after a mosque in Peacehaven, near Brighton, was set on fire while two people were still inside. The attack comes just days after two Jewish worshippers were killed outside a Manchester synagogue, fuelling concern over rising religious hate in Britain.
- A mosque in Peacehaven, near Brighton, was set on fire on 4 October 2025 in a suspected hate-motivated arson attack.
- Two men in their 60s who were inside at the time escaped without injury.
- The attack occurred just two days after two Jewish worshippers were killed outside a synagogue in Manchester.
A fire broke out at a mosque in Peacehaven, near Brighton, on Saturday night, 4 October 2025, in what police believe was a deliberate attack. Emergency services arrived shortly before 10 p.m. after reports that the building had been set alight while two people were still inside.
Footage from the mosque’s door camera captured two individuals in balaclavas attempting to force open the mosque’s main door before pouring petrol on the steps and setting it on fire. Both suspects fled the scene shortly after the blaze began.
Police investigation and appeal for information
Sussex Police confirmed that the incident is being treated as arson with intent to endanger life. The force said in a statement that while no one was injured, “significant damage was caused to the mosque and a nearby vehicle,” and the impact would “be felt by the Muslim community” of the small coastal town.
Detectives released a description of the suspects, noting that one wore a “distinctive black jacket with a Pre London logo” and the other red gloves. Detective Inspector Gavin Patch appealed for witnesses, saying, “We believe there are people in the community who know who these two are.”
Survivors’ account and community response
The mosque’s voluntary manager, who asked not to be named, told CNN that the chairman and another worshipper—both in their 60s—had stayed behind after evening prayers for tea when the fire started.
“They could have easily died,” he said. “These people came with full intent to cause maximum damage.”
The chairman’s taxi, parked outside the mosque, was destroyed in the blaze. “Unfortunately, just a shell of his vehicle is left,” the manager said. “Everyone is scared. If someone was willing to do this, we don’t know what’s next.”
The mosque, which opened four years ago and usually serves about a dozen regular worshippers, had previously been targeted with eggs and verbal abuse. “But we never expected an attack on this level,” he said.
Connection to Manchester synagogue attack
The Peacehaven fire occurred just two days after a deadly assault outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester, where two Jewish worshippers were killed and three others seriously injured during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism.
According to police, a man drove a car into pedestrians before stabbing victims outside the synagogue. Armed officers shot the suspected assailant, who also died at the scene. Greater Manchester Police later confirmed that two of the victims were likely struck by police gunfire as officers aimed at the attacker.
Growing fears of religious violence in the UK
The attacks in Peacehaven and Manchester have intensified fears of rising religious intolerance across Britain. Muslim and Jewish communities have both reported a surge in hate incidents amid heightened political and social tensions.
Local residents in Manchester told CNN they felt unsafe and were considering moving abroad. Meanwhile, Sussex Police have increased patrols around places of worship, and national counterterrorism units are assessing potential links between the two incidents.
