A 19-year-old man from Cambridge has been charged with criminal damage and religiously aggravated criminal damage after strips of bacon were left on the windscreens of cars parked outside a mosque in the city.

The incident took place at Omar Faruque Mosque and Cultural Centre on Kirkwood Road, in north Cambridge.

The police believe the bacon was put on four cars outside the mosque at some point after 11pm on Thursday.

The man, who was charged on Friday, has been released on bail and is expected to the attend Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

The incident occurred during Ramadan, an especially holy month in the Muslim calendar when Muslims fast.

The University of Cambridge Islamic Society's President, Ryan Riordan, told Varsity: “It is sad to see that in light of recent event a minority of people have decided to fight hate with hate.

“Cambridge has always been a very welcoming and accepting city where our right to religious expression has not been stopped. I have the greatest faith that the community will not be divided in light of this incident and I am sure that attempts such as this will not hinder the Muslim community here.

“Contrary to what many in this minority may believe, bacon is in fact not Muslim kryptonite. It will not stop people from other cultures and beliefs living happily alongside them.

“Remembering that the wider community in Cambridge is supporting and accepting of members of our faith, we will rise above the hatred these people try to spread.”

They also expressed concern for those affected by the incident, hoping they would find comfort and support in those around them at this time.

TellMAMA, an NGO which provides a means for reporting anti-Muslim hate incidents and crimes, said: “We are increasingly receiving reports of such activities where pork products are being used to abuse fellow citizens who happen to be Muslim.

“Clearly in the minds of perpetrators, they believe that pork products are an insult to Muslims.”

Terrorism makes me scared – of racism

The groups received similar reports in April from Cambridge, when bacon was left on the handle of a car belonging to a Muslim man.

The police have increased their patrols near local mosques following these racist incidents.

Cambridge Stand Up to Racism also held a rally in Market Square in solidarity with Muslims, celebrating multiculturalism and diversity, on Saturday. They also collected signatures from members of the community expressing their solidarity and condemning the racist incident in a card for Cambridge's Muslim community.

The group deplored the incident in a statement, emphasising that the “offensive act in no way reflects the feelings of the vast majority of Cambridge residents who are proud of our diverse, multicultural city. ”

The statement continued, “The fact that returned MP Daniel Zeichner, along with second place candidate, Julian Huppert, and Green candidate Steward Tuckwood, all signed Stand Up to Racism’s ‘Keep Racism Out of the Election’ statement before the election, shows the anti racist consensus across the City.

“The divisive scapegoating politics fuelled by Theresa May was firmly rejected in Cambridge, as elsewhere.

“We are determined not to allow a small number of racists to divide us.”