Northern Ireland

Community responds to erection of Nazi flags, with anti-fascist rally, prayer service and fun day for kids

At the Iqraa masque, a group of children watch cartoons on a phone during the back to school bazaar. Picture Mark Marlow
At the Iqraa masque, a group of children watch cartoons on a phone during the back to school bazaar. Picture Mark Marlow
By John Breslin

A back-to-school bazaar and fun day at a Belfast mosque completed a community's response to the placing of fascist flags outside the building last week.

An anti-racism rally and a prayer service were also held over the weekend around the Iqraa Mosque in Dunmurry following the erection of the flags showing the Nazi Swatsika and SS insignia, which police are treating as a hate crime. 

CCTV footage captured an individual erecting the flags during darkness on Tuesday, arriving with a ladder.

Read more:Appeal over suspect who erected Nazi flags outside mosque in west Belfast.

Police said the man arrived at about 10:45pm on Tuesday and left on foot via the Kingsway area around 15 minutes later.

A baby listens as women talk and laugh at the Iqraa mosque. Picture Mark Marlow
A baby listens as women talk and laugh at the Iqraa mosque. Picture Mark Marlow

The bazaar, moved inside due to the weather, featured a bouncy castle, food from Syria, Sudan and other countries, along with plenty for the sweet toothed, and was open to all in the community.

"Nothing will stop us, Insha'Allah(If God wills)," the organisers said in their invitation to the community to join the celebration.

The fun day, with a focus on children, was held on Sunday, 24 hours after the Community Rally Against Fascism organised by United Against Racism Belfast and supported by other organisations, including Amnesty International.

An anti-fascist, anti-racist rally was held in Dunmurry on Saturday. BBC
An anti-fascist, anti-racist rally was held in Dunmurry on Saturday. BBC

Ali Khan, of the Belfast Multi-Cultural Association, said the community felt "so heartened" to have an "absolutely amazing" turnout at the rally.

"We've never seen the like of this before... we just can't understand why this happened," Mr Khan told BBC News, adding members of the Muslim community are "open for dialogue".

"Anybody who wants to come and see us and speak to us, we're here," he said. "A lot of us have been here for quite a long time."

At the Iqraa Mosque in Dunmurry on Sunday. Picture Mark Marlow
At the Iqraa Mosque in Dunmurry on Sunday. Picture Mark Marlow

Fiona Doran, from United Against Racism Belfast, said it is "very important to immediately respond" to hate incidents.

"We want the local Muslim community and the mosque to know that we're here to support them," Ms Doran said, further describing the wider Dunmurry community is "shocked, disturbed and horrified" by the placing of the flags outside the mosque.