Six teens have been arrested after an Islamic school was broken in to, vandalised and trashed from top to bottom. Photo / Bahr Academy
Six teens have been arrested after an Islamic school was broken in to, vandalised and trashed from top to bottom. Photo / Bahr Academy
Six teens have been arrested after an Islamic school in Britain was broken in to, vandalised and trashed from top to bottom.
Newcastle school Bahr Academy was extensively damaged during a break in on Monday night, with windows smashed, tables tossed, Korans ripped up and racist graffiti daubed on the walls.
It is not the first time the school has been attacked. In January vandals broke in and spray-painted racial slurs on the walls.
The imam has described the attack as a "disgusting act" while police say it is distressing for locals and they will treat it as a hate crime.
Six teens have been arrested after an Islamic school was broken in to, vandalised and trashed from top to bottom. Photo / Bahr Academy
"This is a very distressing incident for members of the Bahr Academy, particularly as it is the second break-in this year, Northumbria Police neighbourhood inspector said.
"Although there is not the same racist graffiti as we saw in the first incident, we are treating this as a hate crime.
"We are aware of the impact incidents of this nature can have on the community and I want to be clear that this type of behaviour is completely unacceptable."
Windows were smashed and tables were thrown around the room. Photo / Bahr Academy
Flammable liquid was also poured on the floor while the words "Moslem terrorists" and a swastika were painted on the wall.
Police said an 18-year-old woman, two 16-year-old boys, two 14-year-old boys and a 14-year-old girl have been arrested.
The attack comes less than two weeks after 50 people were killed during the mosque shootings in Christchurch.
Councillor Habi Rahman told Metro: "Everyone has been feeling vulnerable since the New Zealand attack.
"The feeling here is one of shock, there is fear among all generations young and old.
"Incidents like this don't help calm the situation or alleviate the fear for the Muslim community."
During the first attack in January, intruders daubed racist graffiti on the prayer room walls. Photo / Bahr Academy
Numerous Korans were ripped up and racial slurs and signs were painted on the walls. Photo / Bahr Academy
Local police say they have since visited the Islamic school and will be patrolling the area.
"Our officers have visited the Bahr Academy again today and are working with them to put further measures in place to try and prevent anything like this happening again.
"High visibility patrols will be taking place around the academy following this incident and anyone with any concerns is encouraged to speak to those officers."
The education centre's trustees have called for calm, saying they want those involved in the attacks to come and get to know its members in the hope that talking could prevent future attacks.
The attack on the Newcastle Islamic school comes a week after an Islamic teacher in Australia had his SUV covered in rubbish.
The car owner came home to find bags of rubbish on top of his vehicle as well as sanitary pads on the door handles and his wheels stuffed with trash. Photo / Facebook
The man, who teaches in Sydney, came home to find bags of rubbish on top of his white car as well as sanitary pads on the door handles and his wheels stuffed with trash.
The car owner and community were shaken.
"Even to go to the disgusting point of pushing used sanitary pads into the door handles of his car," an anonymous source told Daily Mail Australia.
According to the unnamed source, they believe the attacker is likely to be a local with "anti-Muslim" feelings.
They said they were disappointed to see a teacher being discriminated against for their cultural beliefs.
Police were called to the incident but no charges have been laid.
