Board of Deputies welcomes Government’s commitment on security for places of worship

Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has reacted to Home Secretary Sajid Javid’s announcement on increased security for places of worship.

She said: “We welcome the Home Secretary’s announcement today on the increased Places of Worship Protective Security Fund and further security training for mosques.

“The Government should take every possible step to ensure that Muslims communities can be – and can feel – safe and secure.

“We also endorse the wider call for societal introspection about the way that we talk about Muslims, whether in the media or in our politics.

“It is clear that social media remains a source of radicalisation in various ways. While there have been improvements from the social media companies, more must be done to defeat the scourge of extremism and ensure that social media is not a breeding ground for hatred.

“The Board of Deputies stands in solidarity with the Muslim community, who should know that they are not alone in standing up to the evil of anti-Muslim prejudice.”