IPSWICH: Worshippers at a town centre mosque have played down fears of tension developing in their community despite the appearance of offensive graffiti.

The scrawlings have been stencilled in red paint onto Ipswich Mosque’s car park in Bond Street and include offensive words and images.

Nurul Islam Chowdhury, secretary of Ipswich Mosque, said: “It may be disgusting behaviour but it’s happened and we have drawn a line under it.

“It’s just simple-mindedness.”

The graffiti appeared sometime between 8pm on Wednesday and 11am on Thursday but Mr Chowdhury said it has already been cleaned off and painted over.

Manwar Ali, chief executive of Ipswich-based charity Jimas which promotes understanding between different faith communities, said: “You would have thought people would be more reluctant in showing their feelings in this way.

“To deface other people’s properties and make it so obvious is just wrong.

“It’s off-putting to look at too because it’s not the kind of thing you want to see.” But Mr Ali said the finger of blame is not being pointed at anyone.

“The graffiti could have been done by anybody for all we know,” he added.

“It could have been done by someone within the mosque who is unhappy with things.” A Suffolk Police spokeswoman confirmed officers from the Ipswich Central Safer Neighbourhood Team were investigating.

She added: “Officers have been conducting house to house visits for any potential witnesses, taken a statement from the victim and given crime reduction advice.”

Anyone with information should call Pc Donna Jackson on 101.

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