HATE CRIME YOBS TARGET MUSLIMS
Revolting thugs urinated on to shoes and clothes belonging to worshipping Muslims.
Police are treating the incident as a hate crime against Bath's Muslim community and say they are determined to track down the perpetrators.
The two male offenders entered the lobby of the Bath Islamic Centre in Pierrepont Street during evening prayers, before urinating on clothing and shoes left in the entrance by worshippers.
Their mindless vandalism has disgusted members of the mosque and left the belongings of five people damaged.
In an attempt to bring those responsible to justice, Avon and Somerset police have now released CCTV images of the yobs.
The unprovoked attack has shocked Muslim leaders and campaigners for racial equality in Bath.
Imam Rashad Amazi, a leader at the Bath Islamic Centre, said the victims were disgusted by the crime.
He said: "They felt disbelief and they were horrified.
"While they were doing their prayers they heard very loud shouting inside the building.
"They couldn't break their prayers but they were terrified.
"As soon as they'd finished, they ran to the ground floor where they thought the shouting was coming from. By that time the people had left.
"They smelled the alcohol and the urine and then found there was urine in their shoes and on the carpets."
Rosco Jones, from Bath and North East Somerset Racial Equality Council, said he was concerned that other victims of hate crime were keeping quiet about their experiences in an effort to evade more attention.
He said: "The main concern is that not as many victims of hate crime resulting from the heightened concerns around Islamic-based terrorism are coming forward to say they've been attacked.
"People on the whole are just keeping the information to themselves. That is quite bad.
"The police and authorities such as ourselves need to be aware so we can take normal community safety preventative action."
Mr Jones said in his experience victims were reluctant to have any stigma attached to them.
"The victims try to hide what they think could be instances that are not too serious, so only report the most serious examples.
"They do that in the hope of not attracting attention to themselves."
He added it was important that people did not believe Islam was a violent religion because of the action of terrorists.
"Everyone wishes to distance themselves from terrorism being committed in the name of Islam.
"It's not a credible stance to say Islam authorises this terrorist way of solving problems.
"Proper solutions are always essentially around the negotiating table."
Avon and Somerset police would like to hear from anyone who recognises the men.
Anyone with information should contact PC Chris Minty at Bath Police Station on 0845 4567000 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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