A 46-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life following a fire at a mosque in Peacehaven, East Sussex. Police confirmed the arrest on Monday afternoon, and the suspect remains in custody.
Fire crews were called to the mosque on Phyllis Avenue at approximately 9:50pm on Saturday. No injuries were reported, but the blaze caused significant damage to the front of the building and a nearby vehicle. Sussex Police are treating the incident as a hate crime.
CCTV footage released by police shows two masked individuals wearing dark clothing approaching the mosque's entrance, spraying an accelerant, and igniting a fire. Emergency services quickly extinguished the flames. Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cullimore of the Surrey and Sussex major crime team stated that the investigation is progressing rapidly and urged the public to come forward with any information.
Superintendent Rachel Swinney acknowledged the distress caused within the community and confirmed an increased police presence at the scene and additional patrols at places of worship across Sussex. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the attack as 'appalling' and emphasized that an attack on Muslims is an attack on all Britons.
