A CHURCH in Glasgow has called in the police after allegedly being targeted in an attempted “petrol bomb” attack.
Dennistoun Baptist Church, which is based on Finlay Drive in the east of Glasgow, put out a statement asking for help and information after saying there had been an attempted attack on the night of May 14.
Pastor Mark Morris shared images which appeared to show the remnants of a Molotov cocktail-style weapon smashed outside the church.
There also looked to be burn marks on the path outside the church’s front door.
Morris told The National his church had been in touch with the police who were investigating the incident.
He further said it was the first time since the church had been “replanted” in 2015 that they had seen any kind of hostility at all.
In a Facebook post notifying locals of the incident, Morris wrote on: “Hey everyone, we just wanted to make you aware of an attempted arson attack last night at Dennistoun Baptist Church; a petrol bomb exploded outside our front door at some point between 9pm (Tue 14th) and 9am (Wed 15th).
“The police have asked that if you saw anything suspicious at that time or any other time to phone 101. And if you live on Finlay Drive and have a camera in your car or from your flat then do be in touch.
“As a community church we love Dennistoun, running a weekly football group for men, English classes for refugees and hosting the Dennistoun Diggers garden, to name a few things. We’re shocked and saddened that this has happened.
“Any help around this would be greatly appreciated.”
The Dennistoun Baptist Church traces its roots back to the Trades Hall Baptist Church of the 1850s. It moved to Dennistoun, in Glasgow’s east end, in 1908.
By 2015, the congregation had dwindled to just seven members, Morris said, before it was “replanted” by a team he led from the Calderwood Baptist Church in East Kilbride.
Since then, it has bucked national trends of declining congregations and now has somewhere around 70 regular attendees.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 10.50am on Wednesday, 15 May, 2024, officers received a report of an attempt to damage a church on Finlay Drive, Glasgow.
“Enquiries are ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident 1109 of 15 May, 2024.”
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