London, (Shahzad Ali) __ A special community meeting was held at North Watford Mosque to address the recent series of Islamophobic graffiti attacks targeting mosques and Islamic centres across Watford. The meeting was convened by Councillor Asif Khan to bring together leaders from the Muslim community, Hertfordshire Police, Hertfordshire County Council, the Fire and Rescue Service, and Watford’s civic leadership to discuss community safety, hate crime reporting, and reassurance for local residents.

The meeting brought together representatives from all local mosques and Islamic centres including the Watford Mosque Association (representing Central and North Watford Mosques), Al Zahrah Centre, Masjid al Ummah, Watford Islamic Centre, Imam Hussain Foundation, Bushey Islamic Circle, Hemel Mosque (Suffat al Islam), St Albans Islamic Centre, Read Foundation Watford, Watford Muslim Youth Project, and the Hujjat Centre, Stanmore.

Also in attendance were Chief Constable Andy Prophet of Hertfordshire Constabulary, Matt Turmaine MP, Elected Mayor Peter Taylor, Alex Woodman, Chief Fire Officer and Executive Director for Community Protection at Hertfordshire County Council, and Enoch Kanagaraj, CEO of One Vision. They were joined by Cllr Sohail Bashir, Cllr Ajanta Hilton, senior police officers Inspector Simon Cooper and Inspector Mohammed Islam, Paul Barton, Staff Officer and Station Commander at Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, as well as Harjit Singh, Chairman of One Vision, Pastor John Melki, and community leader Farazana Chaudree.

The meeting provided an opportunity for open and constructive dialogue following the distress caused by the recent graffiti incidents. Leaders discussed the need for stronger coordination between mosques and statutory agencies, prompt reporting of hate incidents, and improved communication with local police. Chief Constable Andy Prophet reaffirmed Hertfordshire Police’s full commitment to protecting all faith communities, ensuring visible patrols, and maintaining confidence in reporting hate crime. Alex Woodman emphasised the support of Hertfordshire County Council’s Community Protection Team in promoting safety, preparedness, and resilience across all faith institutions.

There was a shared agreement to develop a joint communication network between local mosques and authorities to support faster responses and consistent messaging. Civic and interfaith leaders also committed to continuing engagement and cooperation to prevent any future incidents and to ensure communities feel safe and supported.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Asif Khan said: “The graffiti attacks on our mosques were deeply upsetting for our community. This meeting was about reassurance, action, and unity. It was extremely positive to see the police, fire service, councillors, and faith leaders all coming together with one clear message — hate has no place in Watford. We will continue to work together to protect our places of worship and build trust across our communities.”

The meeting concluded with a strong sense of unity and determination to ensure that Watford remains a town defined by respect, understanding, and solidarity — where communities stand together against all forms of hate.