The UK government on Tuesday (19) announced a £1.6-million boost to a protection fund aimed at mosques and other places of worship across the country to reassure communities in the wake of last Friday's terrorist attack on two mosques in New Zealand that claimed 50 lives.
The Places of Worship Fund, established in 2016 as part of the government's Hate Crime Action Plan, provides financial support for physical protective security such as fencing, lighting and CCTV around places of worship.
With more than a third of the grants under the scheme being awarded to mosques, the additional funds injection is expected to benefit even more mosques around the UK but will also be open to temples, gurdwaras, synagogues and other places of worship.
"The horrific events in New Zealand are a direct attack on the values of tolerance and freedom of worship that unite us all. I know many Muslim communities are feeling vulnerable and anxious but they should seek comfort from knowing we are doing everything to tackle hate and extremism," said UK home secretary Sajid Javid.
"Nobody should ever fear persecution of their faith and it's vital we stand together to reject those who seek to spread hatred and divide us. That's why we are doubling next year's places of worship fund - providing physical protection as well as peace of mind," he said.
The UK Home Office had previously committed funding of £2.4 million over three years but announced the boost in the wake of the Christchurch attack by a far-right extremist and also unveiled a new £5-million fund to provide security training.
Places of worship can benefit from the new protective training fund over three years to build on work already happening across communities.
This is in recognition that physical protective security is only part of the solution, and institutions, their staff and volunteers need to have security understanding to ensure the protective measures work effectively, the Home Office said.
It said that the process will start with an engagement programme with communities on the scope of the new scheme to ensure it meets the needs of all places of worship covering security. The government will then undertake a competitive process to determine providers of the training, with plans to start delivering the training within the current 2019-2020 financial year.
In addition, the Home Office said it plans to simplify the process involved in places of worship bidding for the fund and open a consultation with faith representatives and organisations including the Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group, Tell MAMA [Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks] and the Independent Advisory Group on improvements to existing policy to protect faith communities.
"To increase uptake in the fund and ensure it reaches those most vulnerable to hate crime, the bidding process will also be simplified so organisations no longer have to prove they have previously experienced a hate crime incident directly. In addition, the government will be streamlining the supplier arrangements for bidders,after which the programme will open for applications, the UK Home Office said.
The Places of Worship Fund was set up in response to rising incidents of hate crime in the UK. Home Office figures released last year revealed that a majority of religious hate crime 52 per cent was directed at Muslims, with a particular spike in far-right extremist threat in the wake of the June 2016 Brexit referendum.
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