UK: Barrow Mosque Project Faces Misinformation Campaign Amid Community Support
The mosque, which received planning approval in 2022 without any major objections, is intended to serve around 50 Muslim doctors and their families based at Furness General Hospital. Currently, Barrow has no mosque, and worshippers rely on temporary prayer spaces at the cricket club and inside the hospital. The nearest mosque is located in Lancaster, requiring a 100-mile round trip for local Muslims, ITV News reported on Tuesday.
Concerns escalated after far-right group Britain First recently became involved, labeling the project a “super mosque” and launching a petition—now signed by over 70,000 people—calling for the planning decision to be overturned. This is despite the fact that the site, in Dalton-in-Furness, lies eight miles outside the Lake District National Park.
Read More:
Mohammed Ramzan, a member of the local Muslim community, said the hostility caused by false narratives has been deeply upsetting. “It’s just the animosity that’s been caused, and the misinformation that’s been spread around the area,” he said, adding, “We’re not big and bad, it [the mosque] is for people like myself, my wife, my children.”
According to local reports, some construction workers have begun hiding their identities due to safety concerns, and initial contractors pulled out amid fears of backlash.
In response, Westmorland and Furness Council released a public factsheet to address inaccuracies in media coverage, including reports from broadcaster GB News.
Read More:
Councillor Matt Brereton said, “There has been a great deal of misinformation spread to whip up local tensions around this application,” adding that locals are aware the mosque is not within the national park, as has been claimed.
Support for the mosque has come from many residents, including Afghan refugee Faizudin Ahmedi, who was resettled in Barrow through a UK government program. “The people in Barrow are very kind,” he said. “We are very happy about the mosque.”
His employer, Thomas Henderson, donated to the fundraising campaign.
Read More:
Michelle Scrogham, Labour MP for Barrow and Furness, called for unity. “We must stand up to those organisations – like Britain First – who are looking to create division,” she said.
“People of any faith deserve somewhere to pray and celebrate their faith – our local Muslim community should be no different.”
Construction is underway, though over £1 million in funding is still needed. The Islamic centre aims to open by the end of 2025.
Source: Agencies
