Peterborough mosques hope for business as usual after harassment incident
Tighter security measures are being put in place
Muslim communities in Peterborough are hopeful they can feel reassured rather than worried after an incident at one of the city's mosques.
A man was arrested and later charged after pleading guilty to religiously aggravated harassment and assaulting an emergency worker at the mosque on Alma Road on October 24.
Cambridgeshire Police said they have since stepped up patrols near mosques in the city.
"We're asking worshippers to be vigilant of who's standing next to you on your left side, right side," Abdul Choudhuri, chair of Joint Mosques Council Peterborough, said.
"They might pretend to be doing a prayer but in reality, they may have a totally different motivation."
Children and elderly worshippers were thought to be present at the mosque when the incident happened.
On Saturday at Huntingdon Magistrates' Court, the 57-year-old man pleaded not guilty to racially aggravated harassment and a racially aggravated public order offence.
Peterborough a 'largely peace-loving city'
Safety measures the mosques have since been or planned to be in place, such as a change to opening times before and after prayer.
Councillor Shabina Qayyum, leader at Peterborough City Council (PCC), said she "never thought that Peterborough, being a largely peace-loving city, would ever be subjected to such hate.
"I shall be raising this at the highest level of Government to ensure that our Muslim community in Peterborough is kept safe and secure, free from intimidation and abuse."
A PCC spokesperson said it is working with police and community leaders "to ensure the Muslim community and all faith communities are being supported."
'We're going to carry on as usual'
Superintendent Ben Martin, of Cambridgeshire Police, stated the force is aware of the impact this has had on local communities.
"We will continue to have an increased police presence near mosques in the city in the coming days as reassurance," he said.
Mr Choudhuri has previously backed PCC's pledge to stand against Islamophobia and relationships with Muslim groups and praised the police response, which he believes has reassured local communities following the incident.
"We're not going to stop our prayers or our religious programs; if we stop these programs just because one incident happened, that would be a win for these people and we don't want them to win," he said.
"We're careful, vigilant but we're going to carry on as usual."