Muslims pray in the street during Friday prayers near the al-Quds mosque in Marseille
Posted on 09/16/2011 12:58:45 PM PDT by NYer
Muslims pray in the street during Friday prayers near the al-Quds mosque in Marseille
Muslim groups have criticized a French Interior Ministry ban on praying in the streets of Paris as authorities hastily started the implementation of the ban before this week's Friday prayer.
Interior Minister Claude Gueant earlier said his ministry has provided another place of worship for Muslims and that Muslim associations were on board. However, the Muslim community was not informed that the ban would be put into effect immediately. Speaking to French daily Le Figaro on Wednesday, Gueant warned that if people do not obey the new regulation, police will intervene in the situation.
“We didn't receive any letters. We negotiated with the Paris Govenor's Office before June. But we didn't know that the ban would be put into effect this soon,” Mohamed Salah Hamza said, adding that most Muslims in France still do not know that they are not supposed to pray on the street ahead of this week's Friday prayer. He underscored that Muslims do not want to pray on streets and have demanded larger mosques.
Paris Governor's Office assigned a 2,700-squaremeter military depot for the use of Muslims since current mosques do not insufficient space for the community prayers held during Eid on Fridays. Muslim associations will pay 30,000 euros per year as rent throughout the three years of the lease. In 2014, the building for a larger mosque is expected to be completed.
Gueant argued that Catholic events with broad participation on Paris streets should not be evaluated as the same thing as Muslims praying outside. The minister further said the same ban will be put into effect in other French cities of Marseilles and Nice, where many Muslims live.
I lived in Bahrain about 20 years ago. My husband was stationed there before, during and after the first gulf war. I was there for a few months before Saddam invaded. Families were evacuated. My son and I did return after the war. I lived there less than a year.
Of course not .. neither in Saudi Arabia nor any other part of the world. Christians pray inside churches, not on the streets with the exception of those who pray in front of abortion clinics or Catholics who occasionally take to the streets in processions. Processions do just that ... they move (progress).
All I see is a bunch of middle eastern ass's blocking the road.
Water cannons mixed with pepper spray, for starters.
If they want to pray on public streets, let them do it in Damascus or Cairo.
Where’s the steamroller?
That’s a lot of smelly feet.Blech!
I propose we export 20% of the population of San Francisco to view this sight. You know which 20% I’m referring to :-P
Did they ever invite you to a local after-prayers feast? man, the foood!
Most likely north-African.
No. Never got an invite. I did eat lunch with our neighbors once. They gave me something that looked like blades of grass. It was weird.
We ate out a lot. Roma’s was our favorite restaurant. As well as Up a Tree Cup of Tea. Where they there when you were there?
Nope, neither of those were there at that time. Muharraq was a sleepy little town with the Blue Moon hotel I think and some old 60s style buildings.
I think we lived in Jaffair.
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