Children’s plaques vandalised in Muslim graveyard

WATFORD, England: Police are investigating criminal damage after 85 graves were vandalised in the Muslim section of a cemetery.

Hertfordshire Police said a large number of the damaged graves were believed to be “the resting place of babies and young children” at Carpenders Park Lawn Cemetery, Watford.

Wadi Funeralcare said it was “heartbroken by the recent desecration” and that “some graves were subjected to unspeakable acts of disrespect”.Hertfordshire Police is carrying out extra patrols in the area, and has appealed for witnesses and information.

Insp Will Rogers-Overy said: “Senior officers are working closely with local community leaders to identify those family members who will be most affected.“In the coming days we will engage further with the Muslim community who will have been particularly impacted by this horrendous crime.”

The cemetery is in Watford but is owned by Brent Council.Its leader, Muhammed Butt, said: “Our thoughts are with the families of those whose graves were desecrated. I cannot imagine how they must be feeling at this moment.

“It looks as though Muslim graves have been targeted in what appears to be an Islamophobic hate crime.

“We will reinstate the damaged name plaques and return Carpenders Park Lawn Cemetery to a peaceful, quiet place of remembrance as quickly as possible, once the police have finished their investigation.”

Abbas Merali, a Conservative councillor at Three Rivers District Council, said it was “a barbaric act”.“These abhorrent actions have caused immense anguish to grieving families and profound hurt across our community,” he said.

Wadi Funeralcare said it was alerted to the “distressing discovery” by a bereaved family who had recently buried a loved one at the site.“Their pain and anguish were deeply felt by all of us,” the funeral care service said.

A spokesperson added: “We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the many individuals and organisations who responded swiftly and stood in solidarity with the affected families and our wider community.“This incident has deeply shaken our community, but the swift response and shared outrage remind us of the strength we have when we stand together.”