POLICE have launched an investigation after a window at a mosque in Moray was vandalised.
It is the third time the Elgin Mosque and Islamic Centre has been attacked after offensive graffiti was painted across the building in 2019.
Members of the mosque community said a window was smashed at around 9:30pm on Monday.
Police have said they are following a positive line of inquiry after the damage was reported.
Buckie-based businessman Zafar Ali, who is a member of the Elgin Mosque community, told the Press and Journal that despite the attacks, it has not shaken the connection the worshippers have with the rest of the town.
“It’s a minority. It’s an age-old story, we know it’s a minority,” he said.
“The vandalism itself is just annoying more than anything else.
“What is more worrying is that the mosque is a sanctuary for a lot of the people who use it.
“Yes, we have businessmen, doctors, teachers and lots of other people who use it, but there is also quite a big community of Syrian refugees and others who have been through a lot of turbulence in their lives.
“It’s a place of worship and a special place for a lot of people.
“Things like this shouldn’t be happening but thankfully it’s very rare and we’ve always had a lot of support from the wider Elgin community.”
According to reports, police have been reviewing CCTV images from the Elgin Mosque after the vandalism.
A spokesperson for the force said: “Around 9.30pm on Monday, officers received a report of damage to a window of a Mosque on Gordon Street in Elgin.
“Officers are following a positive line of inquiry.”
