Vandals daub swastikas on mosque

The council was brought in to remove the graffiti

Vandals have daubed swastikas on the walls of a mosque, it has emerged.

Worshippers discovered the Nazi symbols painted on the Capital Cinema Mosque, Alum Rock Road, Birmingham, when they arrived for prayer at the weekend.

President of the mosque Shafdar Hussain said he was "very disappointed" over the attack as relations within the community were very good.

MP Liam Byrne, (Labour, Hodge Hill) said he saw the graffiti on Saturday evening and was outraged.

I was stunned when I saw it. It is unacceptable MP Liam Byrne, (Labour, Hodge Hill)

He told BBC News on Tuesday he is now calling on the government to fast-track new legislation they detailed last week which aims to tackle Islamaphobia and make it an offence to incite religious violence.

"The sooner we get this law on the statute books the better as there is no place in this city for such racial intolerance," he said.

"My office informed the council first thing on Monday morning to get it removed and I have been in touch with Mr Hussain.

"I was stunned when I saw it. It is unacceptable."

Europe-wide ban

West Midlands Police said the incident had not been reported to them.

The word is derived from the Sanskrit "svastika" and means "good to be". In Indo-European culture it was a mark made on people or objects to give them good luck.

The Nazi party formally adopted the swastika - what they called the Hakenkreuz, the hooked cross - in 1920.

Displaying the swastika and other Nazi symbols today is illegal in Germany.

Earlier this week, German politicians called for a Europe-wide ban after Prince Harry was pictured wearing a swastika to a fancy dress party.