Man arrested after 'axe carried into mosque' at Manchester Central Mosque — manchester central mosque incident prompts search for second man
A man in his 40s is in custody after walking into manchester central mosque on Upper Park Road in Victoria Park, Rusholme, allegedly carrying weapons including an axe, a knife and a hammer. The arrest and the continuing hunt for a second man have prompted a police review and statements from mosque representatives and politicians.
Arrest, alleged weapons and custody
Officers detained a man described in some accounts as being in his 40s; another account described the suspect as a white man in his 50s. The arrested man was held on suspicion of carrying an offensive weapon and possession of Class B drugs and remains in custody for questioning. Volunteers at the mosque challenged the man after he entered during Taraweeh prayers and kept him talking until police arrived; a number of people are said to have restrained the suspect, and one witness said four people struck him with a fire extinguisher. Police said no-one was injured and no threats were made.
Manchester Central Mosque on Upper Park Road and the police response
The incident took place at Manchester Central Mosque on Upper Park Road in the Victoria Park area of Rusholme. Officers were called at about 20: 40 GMT on Tuesday after reports that two men were acting suspiciously; other timings given include around 8. 30pm and about 8. 40pm that same evening. One account said the approximately 5, 000 worshippers inside were asked to evacuate, while another said there were about 2, 000 people in the building. About 15 police cars were said to have attended and the off-duty special constable who was part of the congregation phoned police; officers responded within 15 minutes.
Police hunt for second man and video review
Greater Manchester Police said officers are trying to locate a second man who was reported as acting suspiciously and is described as a black male. The force added it was reviewing all available CCTV and body-worn video to identify the individual, who was described in one detailed account as being in his late 40s with an athletic build and stubble, wearing a grey hoodie and a navy blue jacket with both hoods up, blue tracksuit bottoms and white trainers. It is understood this second man left before officers arrived and has not been apprehended; police asked anyone with information to come forward.
What mosque leaders and volunteers said
The mosque said volunteers had spotted a suspicious bag and escorted one of the men into a side room before calling the police, and that all relevant information and CCTV footage had been passed to officers. The chairman of the mosque, Hammad Khan, said volunteers kept the suspect talking and described him as "very calm" and previously seen at the mosque. Mr Khan added that an axe had been spotted in the suspect's bag and that the suspect was not under the influence; he also said the man had materials relating to World War Two and some newspaper cuttings, which the police have. The mosque described the episode as a "serious security incident. "
Police, political and community reaction
Senior officers stressed there was no suggestion of any threats or confrontation. Assistant Chief Constable John Webster said the man had reportedly claimed to be at the mosque to do work on the building but that staff had no knowledge of this; he said it was not clear what the circumstances or intent, if any, were and urged anyone with information to contact police. Superintendent Simon Nasim said officers attended while people were worshipping during the holy month of Ramadan, that one individual had been arrested and that no-one had been hurt; he added there may be an increased patrol presence in the area and that there is "no place for weapons on our streets" and that offences will be dealt with under the law.
Representatives from the mosque questioned the fact the force had not formally declared the incident terror-related, even as the police said they were working with detectives from Counter Terrorism Policing North West. The Manchester Rusholme MP, Afzal Khan, condemned the episode as a consequence of "far-right politicians scapegoating Muslims" and said, "This is Islamophobia, plain and simple. " Sir Keir Starmer said he was "concerned" by the incident, that it would be worrying for Muslim communities during Ramadan and added: "My thanks go to the volunteers and emergency services for their quick response. "
Video shared online showed a heavy police presence outside the mosque on Tuesday night; by Wednesday morning the mosque was quiet with no visible police presence and many neighbours said they had not seen or heard signs of a disturbance.
