Four Arson Attacks Against Four Churches in East London

Case information
Incident date
Country
United Kingdom
Place
London
Categories
  • Social Hostility / Intolerance
Attack Against
  • Faith
Perpetrator / Motive Indicators
  • Anti-Religion or Humanism Groups
  • Private
Hate Crime & Violent Incidents
  • Arson
  • Desecration
  • Vandalism (all)
  • Vandalism of Church
Religious Freedom / Discrimination
  • Other (text field)
Place of Incident
  • Church
Bias Indicators
  • Comments/Written Statements/Gestures/Graffiti
  • Significance of Property/Structure/Location to religious community
  • Victim/Witness Perception
Reported to Police
  • Yes
Response of Local Authorities
  • Investigated
Image credit: Damien Gayle on Twitter

Around the 19th June, four arson attacks occurred in East London. On the 18th of June, the front door of the St. John's Church was set on fire. On the 19th June, the Baptist Church in Leytonstone has been attacked. In a Church in Ramsay Road was the same scene as in the Baptist Church at night of the same day, the church had two arson attacks and was severely damaged. On the 20th June, the police were called to a fire in St Matthew's Church, West Ham. On each church, graffiti was found on the main door with occult symbols and messages including pentagrams, spirals, the number 666 and the word "hell”. On June 25th, a 27-year-old was arrested for suspicion of the arson along with other criminal acts.

Sources