A Muslim family in Stockport, Greater Manchester, has been left feeling “degraded” and “unwelcome” after a pig’s head was left on their gate by two masked men in the middle of the night. Camran Butt, 41, discovered the disturbing sight when he was leaving for work with his two children on the morning of January 9th.
Butt initially thought the object was a dead animal, but soon realised it was a pig’s head – a deliberate and offensive act, as pork is strictly prohibited under Islamic law. CCTV footage obtained by the BBC shows two hooded and gloved men placing the head on the gate, before fleeing the scene.
The incident has left the family, who have lived in the Cheadle area for years, deeply shaken. Butt described his wife as being “hysterical” and “visibly shaking” when she first discovered the pig’s head. He said the family is racking their brains to understand why they were targeted in such a “professional” and “extreme” manner.
“You just think to yourself what sort of fight have I had that could lead someone to do something like this; so targeted, so professional,” Butt said. He added that the reaction of his neighbours, both Jewish and Hindu, has been a “silver lining” during this distressing time, with many expressing their support and condemning the attack.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are treating the incident as a hate crime and have launched an investigation, but no arrests have been made so far. Chief Inspector Lisa Devitt described the offence as an “appalling and deliberate act against a family home” and assured the community that additional patrols have been put in place to provide reassurance.
Butt, who runs a large care agency, said the family felt “not welcome” in the town they have called home for years. However, the overwhelming support from their neighbours has been a testament to the community’s values of inclusivity and compassion.
