‘Evil’ riot thugs cover Muslim graves with PAINT in ‘hate crime’ horror as more far-right chaos erupts overnight

‘EVIL’ riot thugs have covered Muslim graves with paint in an alleged hate crime horror – after more far-right chaos erupted overnight.

Cops have launched a probe after grey paint was poured over three Muslim headstones in Burnley Cemetery yesterday.

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Lancashire Police was called at 4.15pm yesterday and is treating the vandalism as a hate crime.

Council leader Afrasiab Anwar blasted the “evil” act, which he said was intended to “provoke racial tensions” in the Lancashire town.

Mr Anwar said: “What type of evil individuals would undertake such outrageous actions in a sacrosanct place of reflection?

“Loved ones are buried in the cemetery. This was solely intended to provoke racial tensions.

“There are heinous individuals who are looking to provoke a reaction in our communities.

“With actions like these, it is extremely difficult to remain calm, but I would urge you not to react to the provocation.”

Mr Anwar said cops are working through CCTV footage of the cemetery and have ramped up their presence in the area.

He said Burnley Council is contacting the families affected by the desecration.

The council has arranged for specialist memorial masons to clean the headstones “as a matter of urgency”.

Local Christian leaders also slammed the vile desecration at the cemetery.

Fr Alex Frost and Rev. Kat Gregory-Witham said: “We’re appalled at what we’ve witnessed.

“We’re heartbroken that families from our Muslim communities have had to face some terrible scenes in the cemetery.

“Imagine that if this was a grave for one of your loved ones? Nothing will divide us, and your evil actions are not welcome here.

“I encourage the people of Burnley to seek the common good and to act with love and peace.”

Lancashire Police said: “The investigation into this matter is very much ongoing.

“We are taking this matter incredibly seriously and this is being treated as a hate crime.

“We do not tolerate hate of any form, and we will do everything in our power to identify the offender and take the appropriate action.”

Anyone with information should call cops on 101 quoting log 0982 of August 5.

In an update this morning, Mr Anwar said: “Amazing job done by the community last night to clean up.

“In the past two hours people from all backgrounds have been to the Muslim section laying flowers, praying and showing solidarity.

“This is Burnley, we will not allow those who look to sow hatred divide us.”

Former Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “Muslim graves have reportedly been desecrated in Burnley with white paint.

“But remind me, we still have to convince you that the far-right are driven by Islamophobia, right?”

It comes after ex Met counter-terror boss Neil Basu said violent rioting is terrorism after cops were hit with petrol bombs last night.

More than 400 people have now been arrested over the week of carnage on England and Northern Ireland’s streets.

Former counter-terror chief Neil Basu said some of the violence over the past week has “crossed the line into terrorism”.

Basu told the BBC: “I think we have seen serious acts of violence designed to cause terror to a section of our community.”

He said the riots had been sparked by “lies spread through social media” – urging the government to take action.

Basu also slammed Tommy Robinson for “glorifying and creating violence from his sunbed in the Mediterranean”.

Robinson, 41, aka Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, had a UK arrest warrant issued against him last Monday after he skipped a court appearance.

The far-right agitator has now fled to a all-inclusive resort in Cyprus – where he has posted a string of inflammatory tweets.

Basu said: “Yaxley-Lennon knows well he’s in the full glare of policing, counter-terrorism policing, and the security service.

“He has spent many years skirting round various fringes of the law.

“He has been able to inflame and toxify debates and create the kind of mayhem we’re seeing.

“If he is not crossing a legal threshold, then the government and society need to consider if that threshold is in the wrong place.”

It comes after riot yobs lobbed missiles at cops, stormed a pub and chucked paint over graves in ANOTHER night of carnage.

Thugs hurled petrol bombs, bricks and bottles at police vans in south Belfast last night – while cops came under attack in Plymouth.

Violent clashes broke out in dozens of UK towns and cities last week and continued over the weekend.

They have been fuelled by online lies following the murders of three girls in Southport on Monday.

Posts wrongly claimed suspect Axel Rudakubana was a Muslim asylum seeker.

Rudakubana, 17, was actually born in Cardiff and raised as a Christian.

Six people were arrested in Plymouth last night after cops were injured in the violence.

And in Birmingham masked protesters interrupted a live news broadcast shouting “F*** the EDL” – before swarming a pub.

In south Belfast, thugs hurled stones and petrol bombs at police vans near a supermarket which had been torched at the weekend.