Man arrested following incident at Manchester Central Mosque

At around 8.40pm last night (Tuesday 24 February 2026) we were called to reports that two men had entered Manchester Central Mosque, on Upper Park Road, and were acting suspiciously.

Officers swiftly attended the scene and arrested a man in his 40s on suspicion of carrying an offensive weapon and possession of class B.

He remains in custody for questioning.

Superintendent Simon Nasim of City of Manchester Central district said: “Yesterday evening officers attended a local mosque after it was reported that two men were acting suspiciously and carrying an offensive weapon while people were worshipping during the holy month of Ramadan.

“We have swiftly arrested one individual and officers are working to locate the second man. No threats were made and thankfully, no one was injured.

“You may notice an increased presence of patrols in the area while our enquiries continue. Please feel free to chat with our officers and let them know your concerns.

“There’s no place for weapons on our streets and we are committed to ensure all our communities feel safe to worship in peace and go about their daily lives without fear.

“Anyone committing such offences will be dealt with in accordance with the law.”

Officers are appealing for witnesses to help with enquiries. Anyone with information is urged to contact GMP on 101 or via the LiveChat function on our website.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.