The head of a Muslim organisation that opposes extremism and promotes peace and understanding said he was spat on and verbally abused the day after the Manchester bombing.

Mohammed Shafiq, chief executive of the Manchester-based Ramadhan Foundation, told The Independent he was in Brighton for a conference when the reported assault took place.

“I was walking down West Street in Brighton and a guy, who was probably about 35, elbowed me to grab my attention,” he said. “I turned round and looked at him, and he spat in my face and said: ‘You are killing children’”

“In a normal situation, I’d have a conversation with him. But you don’t know if they’ve got a knife or whatever, so I ignored it and walked on. He was babbling away as I walked, looking for a reaction, saying: ‘F**k off back to your own country’”.

“I often read about these things and meet people who have been abused, but it’s never happened to me before. It’s happened to me on Twitter, but never in person, so I was quite shaken by it,” he added.

The 38-year-old made a number of public statements yesterday, condemning the attack at Manchester Arena that killed 22 people and wounded 59 as the “darkest day” in the city’s history.

“I’m somebody who has been at the forefront of the campaign against terrorism and extremism. I was threatened by Al-Qaeda in 2013 in a video and had to have police protection,” he said.

“It’s particularly saddening, as it’s hard to get the message out there that terrorism is evil, and then you have some people who just insult you and spit at you."

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The father of four added: “I’d normally say: ‘let’s talk about what you just said’ and have a dialogue. But yesterday, feelings were running high and I just thought it’s best not to.”

It comes after a 14-year-old girl wearing a headscarf was verbally abused on her way to school in south west Manchester.

A stranger shouted: “When are you going to stop bombing people?” at the pupil, who attends Manchester Islamic High School for Girls.

The school’s head teacher Mona Mohamed said the girl was “upset and hurt” by the incident but had not responded.

“We asked our pupils to stay calm, to have empathy. The feelings are raw; people are shocked, upset and angry,” she told the BBC.

A Manchester mosque was also attacked by arsonists in what is suspected to be a revenge attack.

The door of the Jamia Qasmia Zahidia Islamic Centre in Oldham, Greater Manchester, was set alight and badly damaged.

The imam, Mohammad Saddiq, said a member of the public called the fire brigade and nobody was inside the building at the time.

“We have no idea why somebody would target us. We are a religious and educational centre. I've been involved her for three years and never dealt with anything like this,” he said.

Manchester explosion in pictures Show all 37 1 /37 Manchester explosion in pictures Manchester explosion in pictures People running down stairs as they attempt to exit the Manchester Arena after a blast, where U.S. singer Ariana Grande had been performing, in Manchester Twitter/@ZACH_BRUCE/ via REUTERS Manchester explosion in pictures Helpers attend to people inside the Manchester Arena after a suspected suicide bomber detonated an explosive device at the end of an Ariana Grande concert, killing 22 people PA wire Manchester explosion in pictures Armed officers guard outside a hotel near the Manchester Arena following reports of an explosion, in Manchester, Britain EPA Manchester explosion in pictures Police officers are seen outside the Manchester Arena, where U.S. singer Ariana Grande had been performing, in Manchester, northern England Reuters Manchester explosion in pictures MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 23: Police escort members of the public from the Manchester Arena on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. An explosion occurred at Manchester Arena as concert goers were leaving the venue after Ariana Grande had performed. Greater Manchester Police have confirmed 19 fatalities and at least 50 injured. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Emergency services arrive close to the Manchester Arena on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. There have been reports of explosions at Manchester Arena where Ariana Grande had performed this evening. Greater Manchester Police have have confirmed there are fatalities and warned people to stay away from the area. (Photo by Dave Thompson/Getty Images) Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 23: Police escort members of the public from the Manchester Arena on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. An explosion occurred at Manchester Arena as concert goers were leaving the venue after Ariana Grande had performed. Greater Manchester Police have confirmed 19 fatalities and at least 50 injured. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Medics deploy at the scene of a reported explosion during a concert in Manchester, England on May 23, 2017. British police said early May 23 there were "a number of confirmed fatalities" after reports of at least one explosion during a pop concert by US singer Ariana Grande. Ambulances were seen rushing to the Manchester Arena venue and police added in a statement that people should avoid the area / AFP PHOTO / Paul ELLIS (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police and fans close to the Manchester Arena, after reports of an explosion Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures There have been reports of explosions at Manchester Arena where Ariana Grande had performed Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police deploy at scene of explosion in Manchester, England, at a concert in Manchester Arena AFP/Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police stand by a cordoned off street close to the Manchester Arena Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police deploy at scene of explosion in Manchester, England AFP/Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police deploy at scene of a reported explosion during a concert in Manchester, England, on May 23, 2017. British police said early May 23 there were "a number of confirmed fatalities" after reports of at least one explosion during a pop concert by US singer Ariana Grande. Ambulances were seen rushing to the Manchester Arena venue and police added in a statement that people should avoid the area AFP/Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures An ambulance drives away from the Manchester Arena, where U.S. singer Ariana Grande had been performing, in Manchester Reuters Manchester explosion in pictures Police escort members of the public from the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures A woman sits in the street in a blanket near the Manchester Arena as police guard the area following reports of an explosion, in Manchester, Britain EPA Manchester explosion in pictures Two women wrapped in thermal blankets stand near the Manchester Arena, where US singer Ariana Grande had been performing, in Manchester Reuters Manchester explosion in pictures A Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) bomb disposal robot is unloaded outside the Manchester Arena following reports of an explosion, in Manchester. At least 19 people have been confirmed dead and others 50 were injured, authorities said. It is being treated as a terrorist incident until police know otherwise EPA Manchester explosion in pictures A Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) bomb disposal robot is unloaded outside the Manchester Arena following reports of an explosion, in Manchester EPA Manchester explosion in pictures Members of the public receive treatment from emergency service staff at Victoria Railway Station close to the Manchester Arena on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. There have been reports of explosions at Manchester Arena where Ariana Grande had performed this evening. Greater Manchester Police have have confirmed there are fatalities and warned people to stay away from the area Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Armed police after a suspected terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena at the end of a concert by US star Ariana Grande left 19 dead PA wire Manchester explosion in pictures Emergency services arrive close to the Manchester Arena in Manchester Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures An amoured police vehicle patrols near Manchester Arena in Manchester Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures A man carries a young girl on his shoulders near Victoria station in Manchester AFP/Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police officers stand at the Miller Street and Corporation Street Crossroads, in front of the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police block a road near to the Manchester Arena in central Manchester, England AP Manchester explosion in pictures Armed police patrol near Victoria station in Manchester, northwest England. Twenty two people have been killed and dozens injured after a suspected suicide bomber targeted fans leaving a concert of US singer Ariana Grande in Manchester Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Police forensic officers leave the Manchester Arena as they investigate the scene of an explosion in Manchester Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures A forensic officer collects evidence on a walkway between Victoria station and Manchester Arena following a deadly terror attack in Manchester, Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures A woman and a young girl wearing a t-shirt of US singer Ariana Grande talks to police near Manchester Arena following a deadly terror attack in Manchester, Getty Manchester explosion in pictures epaselect epa05982725 Susan Walton and daughter Katie, 10 (pictured), who attended the concert of Ariana Grande at the Manchester Arena, are seen in Manchester, Britain, 23 May 2017. According to a statement released by the Greater Manchester Police on 23 May 2017, police responded to reports of an explosion at Manchester Arena on 22 May 2017 evening. At least 19 people have been confirmed dead and around 50 others were injured, authorities said. The happening is currently treated as a terrorist incident until police know otherwise. According to reports quoting witnesses, a mass evacuation was prompted after explosions were heard at the end of US singer Ariana Grande's concert in the arena. EPA/NIGEL RODDIS EPA Manchester explosion in pictures Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and Manchester City Council Leader Sir Richard Leese speak to the media outside Manchester Town Hall after a suicide bomber killed 22 people, including children, as an explosion tore through fans leaving a pop concert in Manchester Dave Higgens/PA Wire Manchester explosion in pictures The media gather behind a police cordon in Manchester Getty Images Manchester explosion in pictures Flowers left close to the Manchester Arena, the morning after a suicide bomber killed 22 people, including children, as an explosion tore through fans leaving a pop concert in Manchester Danny Lawson/PA Wire Manchester explosion in pictures Ariana Grande concert attendees Karen Moore and her daughter Molly Steed, aged 14, from Derby, leave the Park Inn where they were given refuge after last night's explosion at Manchester Arena Getty Manchester explosion in pictures Signs saying 'We love Manchester' are displayed in a window in Manchester, England Getty Images

Among those seriously injured in the explosion at a concert by US singer Ariana Grande were 12 children under the age of 16.

Salman Abedi, a 22-year-old Mancunian of Libyan descent, was named by police as the lone bomber.

The leader of the mosque attended by Abedi has condemned the “horrific atrocity”, with Fawzi Haffar of Didsbury Mosque saying: “This has no place in our religion”.

Abedi returned from a visit to Libya just days before carrying out the Manchester attack and may have travelled to terrorist strongholds in Syria.