Overview

• Hertfordshire Police have launched a full investigation into the desecration of up to 85 graves in the Muslim section of Carpenders Park Lawn Cemetery in Watford.
• Community leaders, including the An-Nisa Society and Brent Council officials, have condemned the act as an Islamophobic hate crime, urging authorities to recognize it as such.
• Grave plaques, including those of children and babies, were destroyed in what local families and organizations describe as a deeply distressing and targeted attack.
• Calls for action include demands for stronger protections for Muslim burial sites and measures to prevent future hate crimes.
• The incident reflects a broader rise in anti-Muslim hate crimes in the UK, with watchdog Tell Mama reporting nearly 6,000 incidents in 2024, the highest in its 12-year history.