Two men charged over attacks on mosques

Police in Kent were called to a mosque last night hours after the young soldier was hacked to death in Woolwich, south-east London.

Officers arrested a man and tonight Kent Police said they had charged Andrew John Grindlay, 45, from Rochester, with religiously aggravated criminal damage and burglary.

A force statement said: “This relates to an incident at a religious building in Canterbury Street, Gillingham at 8.40pm on Wednesday, May 22. Officers arrested him at 8.44pm. He will appear before Medway Magistrates on Friday, May 24.

“Kent Police has an increased amount of officers around the county following the incident in Woolwich on Wednesday, May 22, which the Metropolitan Police are investigating. Officers in the county are taking a zero tolerance approach to any incidents of this nature. Kent Police has not received any intelligence to suggest any direct threat to anyone living in the county, but additional resources will continue to patrol to provide a presence in potentially vulnerable communities.”

Also, last night Essex Police arrested a man over an incident at a mosque in Braintree. Geoffrey Ryan, 43, of Brick Kiln Way, Braintree, was charged with possession of offensive weapons and affray.