A fire at a 160-year-old historic building being converted into a mosque in Kilmore, Australia, on Tuesday (March 24) has alarmed the local Muslim community and raised concerns about growing anti-Muslim sentiment in the area.
Authorities said no one was inside at the time of the fire, but the building sustained significant damage. Some local residents believe the blaze was deliberately set.
“This was a deliberate act,” said Ekrem Fuldagli of the Kilmore Islamic and Community Centre. “Fear and hatred are increasing, and people feel more emboldened to take dangerous actions.”
The incident came a day after a business owned by a Muslim resident was also set on fire, further heightening tensions in the small town north of Melbourne.
Victoria Police have declared the site a crime scene and are treating the fire as suspicious. Investigations into both incidents are ongoing, and the exact cause has not yet been determined.
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