Man Charged with Racially Aggravated Graffiti on East London Mosques and School

Illia Bilyk, aged 21, has been charged with aggravated criminal damage following a series of graffiti incidents across East London. Bilyk, from Forest Gate, is accused of spraying offensive graffiti on five buildings between January 23 and January 25 of last year. The locations targeted include religious institutions and an educational facility.

Specific Incidents and Charges

The buildings affected by the alleged criminal damage are located in Leyton and Stratford. These include the Islamic Shariah Council, Al-Birr Mosque, and Noor Ul Islam Primary School. Bilyk faces five separate counts of racially and religiously-aggravated criminal damage in connection with these incidents, as confirmed by the Metropolitan Police.

Community Impact and Police Response

Chief Superintendent Rhona Hunt, who oversees policing in the affected area, acknowledged the distress caused by these incidents. "We recognise that these incidents caused significant distress within Muslim communities across East London last year and that they continue to cause concern," Chief Superintendent Hunt stated. She added, "Anti-Muslim hate crime and Islamophobia have absolutely no place in London. We are committed to tackling hate crime while supporting and reassuring our communities."

The police encourage anyone who has experienced or witnessed anti-Muslim hate crime to report it to the authorities. Bilyk, residing at Field Road, is next due to appear at Thames Magistrates’ Court on September 17.