{"id":297626,"date":"2025-05-01T12:16:12","date_gmt":"2025-05-01T06:46:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/?p=297626"},"modified":"2025-05-01T12:16:12","modified_gmt":"2025-05-01T06:46:12","slug":"welsh-church-fire-has-no-indian-or-pakistani-links-south-wales-police-rubbishes-social-media-claims","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/welsh-church-fire-has-no-indian-or-pakistani-links-south-wales-police-rubbishes-social-media-claims\/","title":{"rendered":"Welsh church fire has no Indian or Pakistani links, South Wales Police rubbishes social media claims"},"content":{"rendered":"

On April 24, a huge fire engulfed a 19th-century Welsh chapel<\/a> in Port Talbot town of Wales. A video of the ablaze Bethany English Calvinistic Methodist Chapel quickly went viral on social media, sparking widespread speculation about the identities of those responsible for it. On social media, some claimed that the perpetrators were Indian immigrants named Raghav Patel and Rahul Kumar, while others alleged that two Pakistani nationals were behind the attack. Claims online went as far as suggesting that immigrants were contributing to an assault on Christianity in the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n

These claims come amid heightened communal tensions within India following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22, in which at least 26 were killed. Since then, there have been multiple reports of targeted \u2018retaliatory\u2019 attacks against Muslims, particularly Kashmiris, in various parts of the country. On social media, accounts that blatantly share pro-Hindu or pro-Pakistan content and misinformation have also been on the rise.<\/p>\n

READ: Pahalgam and after: Tracking \u2018retributive\u2019 hate crimes against minorities across India<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

On April 27, X user Julia Kendrick (@JuKrick) shared<\/a> a clip showing the Welsh church on fire, claiming that two Indian immigrants (Raghav Patel & Rahul Kumar) were behind the attack. This user also said, “Christianity is under attack in the UK”. At the time this article was written, the X post had over 389,000 views and was reshared over 3,200 times. (Archive<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Another X account, @seriousfunnyguy, also shared a clip of the burning church and claimed that two Pakistani nationals were responsible for it. The user also insinuated that cultural plurality was inevitably resulting in the destruction of locals’ culture. It said, “… they are destroying your culture and your religion for Sharia!”<\/p>\n

At the time of writing this, the post has more than 106,000 views and was reshared over 15,000 times. (Archive<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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You welcomed them with open arms in the name of Multiculturalism, they are destroying your culture and your religion for Sharia!<\/p>\n

Wales Church burnt down by 2 Pakistani nationals \ud83d\udc94<\/p>\n

pic.twitter.com\/Swl1rzsby4<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 SUDHIR (@seriousfunnyguy) April 27, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Several other X users\u00a0shared these claims, including Shefali Vaidya (@ShefVaidya), whose posts amplifying communal misinformation we have often flagged<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n