A meeting was held to discuss the graveyard desecration incident in the Hortus Road cemetery at the offices of local MP Virendra Sharma.

Since the desecration of the Muslim graves on Sunday 5th October, no suspects have been identified. CCTV evidence collated from nearby private premises has not been useful. Efforts have been made to trace relatives of all deceased whose graves were affected.

All the graves affected were situated in the Muslim area of the graveyard.

The few Christian headstones that were overturned was the work of the Council and was carried out for safety reasons.

LBE CSU (LBE Community Safety Unit) are progressing the CCTV matter but it does not include a quick-response camera.

In view of this, getting a temporary camera in position overlooking the Muslim corner of the cemetery as soon as possible is urgently being looked into.

The findings of the Crime Prevention Officer included the perimeter walls to be heightened, anti-climb devices placed on top of walls and the gates to be locked on a timely basis.

CCTV was considered to be of limited benefit and possibly not worth the capital outlay.

The drugs and rough sleeping issues in the cemeteries also need to be addressed as part of this. Currently, daily high visibility patrols are taking place around the cemetery.

Dalawar Chaudhry of Chaudhry’s TKC on Southall Broadway emphasised the need to maintain a solid community spirit and not to allow rumours regarding racial tensions to spread and threaten the current harmony in the area.

He spoke to a senior figure at the Park Avenue Gurdwara who had been appalled that anyone from the Sikh religion would have been involved in this matter an offered to be part of any inter-faith discussions needed to maintain calm.