A man has been arrested and charged with arson after a fire at a mosque in Auckland’s New Lynn.
Detective Inspector Callum McNeill said a 19-year-old was due to appear in the Waitakere District Court this morning charged with burglary and two counts of arson.
“We are still working to establish why the man targeted the mosque,” McNeill said.
He thanked those who offered information to police, saying it helped police make a quick arrest.
McNeill said yesterday police officers would be posted around the city’s other mosques in the coming days to reassure the community.
Imam Reza Mosque on Astley Ave was broken into just before 1am yesterday. A glass door at the building’s rear had been smashed. Police believe the fire was deliberately lit.
The fire smouldered for another eight hours until it could be seen from the street and emergency services got a call, McNeill said.
Police and fire investigators quickly established the fire was deliberately lit.
Police have security footage of a man allegedly breaking in and settling mosque alight.
There would be “an increased police presence around mosques” in Auckland “to ensure the community feel safe”, he said.
McNeill has asked witnesses or anyone with information to contact police and reference file number 241105/3764.
A man connected to the Astley Ave religious centre told the Herald police were focusing on a smashed back window.
“It’s crazy,” he said.
“Doing things like this just creates more hatred, more fear.”
The fire was so intense plastic chairs had melted, he said.
Nobody was inside the building.
“I’m just glad no one was hurt, that it wasn’t during prayer time,” he said.
Mosque chairman Feridoun Salehi said in a message to his community: “There are those who tried to harm us, to shake the very foundations of our sacred space.
“Let us remember that the walls of a masjid are strong, but they are not our true foundation. Our true foundation is our faith, our love, our patience, and our unity. These are the stones that no fire can burn, no attack can weaken, and no words can shake.”
Dr Muhammad Sajjad, president of the Islamic Council of New Zealand, says the Islamic community is scared and he wants to reassure the community police are investigating today’s the fire.
Sajjad said there had been an increased number of concerning incidents related to religion and race-based crime that community members had reported to authorities in the past couple of months.
“The people are a bit concerned about the increasing numbers of such incidents.”
Taaj Mohamed, president of the nearby New Lynn Islamic Centre, says his organisation was dismayed at the attack.
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Biden watched the election results alongside the rest of Americans.