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Children and babies' graves are among up to 85 desecrated at a cemetery in what the council has branded an “Islamophobic hate crime”.
Muslim burial sites were ripped out of the ground or destroyed in Carpenders Park Lawn cemetery in Watford on Saturday, sparking grief and outrage from families and the local community.
All of the graves vandalised were in a section reserved for Muslim burials, police said as they investigate. No arrests have been made so far.
A grieving family made the distressing discovery when they went to a visit to the Hertfordshire cemetery after burying their loved one.
A spokesperson for Wadi Funeralcare said some graves were subjected to “unspeakable acts of disrespect”.
He told The Independent: “Their pain and anguish was deeply felt by all of us.
“We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the many individuals and organisations who responded swiftly and stood in solidarity with the affected families and our wider community.”
He added: “This incident has deeply shaken our community, but the swift response and shared outrage remind us of the strength we have when we stand together.”
Cllr Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council, urged anyone with information to contact police said his thoughts were with the families of those whose graves were desecrated. “I cannot imagine how they must be feeling at this moment,” he said.
“It looks as though Muslim graves have been targeted in what appears to be an Islamophobic hate crime,” he said. “There is absolutely no place for hate or discrimination of any kind anywhere, but particularly in London – a city where everyone is welcome and our diversity is one of our greatest strengths.”
Mr Butt said the council would reinstate the damaged name plaques “and return Carpenders Park Lawn cemetery to a peaceful, quiet place of remembrance as quickly as possible, once the Police have finished their investigation.”
A Hertfordshire Police spokesman said that officers were on the site to continue their investigations.
Chief Superintendent Jon Simpson, from the Local Policing Command, said: “This is an abhorrent incident and one that will understandably spark an emotive reaction in the community.
“We are continuing to work closely with our local community leaders and our partners at Brent Council, which owns the site, to identify those families who have been affected but we appreciate that this will take some time.
“At this stage, we are keeping an open mind as to the nature of this incident and in the coming days we will continue to engage with our Muslim communities to provide support and reassurance.
“We’re also working with specialist officers in the constabulary to ensure we remain sensitive and respectful to the needs of the communities involved.”
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