DUNFERMLINE – In a swift reaction to the vicious attack on the Dunfermline Central Mosque, the local community in Fife, Scotland, has organized a race against racism event to show support and love.
The shocking incident happened last Saturday when an unknown person covered the door and doorstep of the mosque with bacon.
“We had ourselves felt that we didn’t face the same issues and hatred as other parts of the UK suffer from, and it has left us all shocked. The vast majority of the people of Dunfermline had shown nothing but love and support,” a mosque spokesman told The Courier on May 2.
The vile attack has prompted a wave of goodwill messages from members of the public, praising the mosque’s efforts to promote good community relations.
One of the locals named Josephine Cameron posted: “I am hopeful that once these so-called people have realized the severity of their stupidity will then question themselves for acting out in an unjustified manner. I am thinking of all the wonderful people connected to such a wonderful place of peace.”
The spokesman of the mosque informed that the community recognized this hatred was driven via social media and pledged to continue to work with the local and national government in how to tackle the issue.
“It’s a shame that a minority within society want to only promote hatred and fear, who refuse to engage and get to know us, but we do recognize it’s just a minority of people with this hatred of others,” an official statement from the mosque said.
“Our message to the haters is we are not intimidated, we shan’t be bullied and this only motivates us to do more and reach out to our neighbors in Dunfermline. Ignorance and hate will never divide us,” the statement continued.
A spokesperson of Police Scotland confirmed they are investigating and that inquiries are ongoing to arrest the attacker.
Most Muslims in Scotland are members of families that migrated in the later decades of the 20th century. According to the 2011 census, Muslims population is around 76,737 persons, almost 1.4% of Scotland’s population.
The first Muslim known to have been in Scotland was an Indian medical student who studied at the University of Edinburgh from 1858 to 1859.
Muslims in Scotland are an ethnically diverse population. Although a majority of Muslims are of Pakistani (58%) origin, 16.8% are Africans and Middle Eastern, while 7.8% are White Europeans.
Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, has the highest Muslim population in the northwestern European country with 5% according to the 2011 census. Though, Pollokshields and Southside Central are the wards with the highest concentration of Muslim residents – 27.8% and 15.7% respectively.
The most important Scottish mosques are the capital city’s Edinburgh Central Mosque, in addition to Glasgow Central Mosque, Aberdeen Mosque, and Dundee Central Mosque.