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🇧🇪 Belgium /Crime & Justice

Mosque in Schelle defaced with swastikas and hate messages

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • A mosque operated by the Tawfieq nonprofit in Schelle was defaced with swastikas, hate messages and dog excrement.
  • The mosque filed a complaint against unknown perpetrators, and the Rupel police zone opened an investigation.
  • Muslim Rights Watch Belgium called the incident an explicit expression of anti-Muslim hatred and urged stronger security for mosques.

Board members of a mosque in Schelle discovered swastikas, hate messages and dog excrement outside the building on Friday morning. The messages and swastikas had been painted on the door and windows, while the excrement was spread across the entrance.

We were extremely shocked when we discovered the message, the swastikas and dog excrement at our center.

· Tawfieq mosque boardThe mosque’s board described its reaction after discovering the vandalism.

The mosque, run by the Tawfieq nonprofit on Steenwinkelstraat, photographed the damage and cleaned the facade before Friday prayers. It filed a police complaint against unknown perpetrators.

The local Rupel police zone confirmed the vandalism and said it was taking the incident seriously. An investigation is underway.

Islamophobia in its purest form

· Muslim Rights Watch BelgiumThe advocacy organization characterized the incident.

Muslim Rights Watch Belgium described the attack as “Islamophobia in its purest form.” Chair Mohamed Amin Chaib said it was not an isolated act of vandalism or simple troublemaking, but “a disgusting and explicit expression of Islamophobia.” The organization said it would also file a complaint and called on policymakers to improve security at mosques.

a disgusting and explicit expression of Islamophobia

· Mohamed Amin ChaibThe organization’s chair rejected describing the incident as ordinary vandalism.
About this summary

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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