- Muslim graves at Carpenders Park Lawn Cemetery were desecrated. Community leaders and charities are calling for stronger police action.
- The incident has deepened concerns over rising Islamophobia in the UK, with organisations citing a surge in anti-Muslim hate incidents.
The desecration of 85 Muslim graves at Carpenders Park Lawn Cemetery near Watford is being condemned as more than mere vandalism, with growing calls for it to be recognised as a hate crime rooted in Islamophobia.
Abbas Merali, councillor for Moor Park and Eastbury, revealed on Instagram that graves in the Muslim section of the cemetery were “subjected to shameful acts of vandalism,” with some plaques belonging to children among those destroyed.
“These abhorrent actions have caused immense anguish to grieving families and profound hurt across our community,” he said.
Merali confirmed that he had spoken to Hertfordshire Police, who are currently treating the desecration as a “serious and targeted act of vandalism” and have launched a full investigation. He added that he would be following up with police and local MP Gagan Mohindra to ensure “no stones are left unturned” in the pursuit of justice.
Local funeral care provider Wadi Funeral Care urged Brent Council, which manages the cemetery, to conduct a “thorough investigation” and take preventive measures.
“The sanctity of our loved ones’ resting places must be preserved,” the organisation said.
Muslim voices are demanding stronger recognition of the incident’s underlying motive.
The An-Nisa Society, a Muslim women-led charity, issued the following statement on X:
“This is clearly not just an act of vandalism, it is an Islamophobic attack and must be recorded as such.”
The organisation continued:
“We keep speaking out about #Islamophobia in Brent/Harrow & yet it’s not taken seriously by authorities – abuse, attacks & discrimination.”
They also cited an incident in 2023 in which Brent’s mayor, councillor Orleen Hylton, allegedly failed to intervene when a Muslim woman was verbally abused on a Harlesden bus.
Zara Mohammed, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), condemned the desecration as “disturbing”, “vile”, and “Islamophobic”, adding:
“I can’t imagine the pain this will cause to families. I hope the perpetrators are swiftly identified and brought to justice.”
The attack comes amid a broader climate of rising anti-Muslim hate. In February, Tell Mama, a leading watchdog monitoring Islamophobia in the UK, reported that in 2024 alone it had received nearly 6,000 reports of anti-Muslim incidents – more than double the figure from two years prior. The group attributed the spike to “inflammatory public discourse” and “sensationalist media narratives”, warning of a dangerous normalisation of Islamophobia.
