York Mosque welcomes community after man arrested outside

At an event held this morning (August 1) at York Mosque, people gathered to share tea and biscuits with its community and show their solidarity after the events of the last few days with attendees including emergency services, politicians, and nearby residents.

It follows North Yorkshire Police saying a man was arrested after a shot was reportedly fired using an air rifle outside the mosque in Bull Lane at about 2.20am on Thursday (July 30).

Superintendent Ed Haywood-Noble, senior operational commander for York and Selby, said it had been a “worrying time for everyone connected to York Mosque”, but the police investigation “has not identified an intention to cause injuries or distress to people”.

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The force said there was also no evidence to suggest the alleged incident was “specifically targeted against the Muslim community in York”.

Police confirmed yesterday that a 44-year-old York man arrested in connection with the investigation has been charged with possessing a loaded air weapon, a .22 air rifle, in a public place.

He has been bailed with conditions, including to keep away from York Mosque, and is due to appear at York Magistrates’ Court on September 21, police said.

No one was injured during the alleged incident and the mosque has since resumed its daily prayers.

At the mosque, Professor Mohammed El-Gomati, one of the founders of York Mosque and its spokesperson, said that they were humbled by the support that they’d received from the public and the appreciative of the police’s support.

Professor Mohamed El-Gomati, one of the founders of York Mosque (Image: Dylan Connell)

He said: “The police were very quick; they managed to identify the culprit very quickly and arrested the person. They cordoned the mosque, got their evidence, and thankfully we were able to reopen for our community kitchen.

“Two, if not three, times the amount of people who normally would come to our events came along, so we had easily over one hundred people attend. It’s nice to see and hear that type of engagement. We’ve had a lot of well wishers who wrote cards for us and phoned in, so we’re really humbled.

“I’m proud of this and really humbled by the reaction – it makes me so proud that this is the city that I’m a citizen of. That person does not represent the community in York.”

He was joined by fellow event organiser and the mosque’s president, Mohamad Douba, who said the air rifle being reportedly discharged was “disturbing for many members of our community” but he was delighted to see people in the city rally around them.

York Mosque Community Kitchen on Thursday (July 30) with Faizal Mohamudbuccus, centre (Image: Faizal Mohamudbuccus)

Mohamad said: “Obviously, it’s great to know that if anything happened here in the future, we would be safe. The number of messages showing their support we’ve had is overwhelming and it makes us feel proud to be part of the community in York.

“We’ve had messages from all different faith groups and non-religious people have been sending their messages, plus the neighbours have dropped cards in to stay they stand with us.

“We feel like we have a duty for the wider community too with the kitchen, our open days, and we love to invite the community to chat with us just like today.

“Some people haven’t interacted with Muslims before and they have misconceptions from what they hear in the media, so when they do, they realise they’re people just like us.”

Also at the event were a number of York’s politicians, including the Liberal Democrat Cllr Tony Fisher and York Central MP Rachael Maskell.

Squash, crisps, and biscuits (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

Rachael said: “It’s really important what the Muslim community in York have done today in opening their doors to the wider community as a means of saying thanks for all the support they’ve had.

“I know people across the city have been really shocked in hearing about the incident. I’m grateful for the police for the swift action, but also in giving that assurance to the community to that, they are there for everybody across York.

“I think York just works as a community, and I think the people here are a testament to this community – even this week, supporting people experiencing deprivation and just bringing people together and talking, that’s what we want is to feel that sense of solidarity.”

Rachael Maskell and Tony Fisher (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

Tony added: “I sent an email to the Mosque showing my support after Thursday and they sent me a nice response inviting me down. I’ve been here three or four times before and I’ve been treated like an honoured guest and I know quite a few of the people here.

“They’re just such a nice people and the relationship between the Muslim community and the rest of the city is just exemplary.”