Muslim Students Protest over Newcastle University's Plans to Limit Their Prayer Space
Muslim students took part in a peaceful protest against a university’s plans to limit their prayer space.
Earlier this year, Newcastle University announced the temporary closure of its Muslim prayer space, in the King George VI Building, over the summer while they removed asbestos from ducts.
The room used to be open around-the-clock for the exclusive use of the university’s Muslim community.
However, since the space re-opened in September, new operating times have come into force and students claim they have been told it could soon get turned into a multi-faith space instead.
The room is now only open on weekdays and between 8am and 1pm on Saturdays, despite the Islamic community needing to prayer up to five times a day.
On Sunday, Muslim students took part in a public prayer session outside the King George VI building in peaceful protest against the move.
They claim the current facility is already overflowing, with students often having to perform Friday prayers outside the building due to a lack of space, and there is "realistically no capacity to house other faiths’ societies on the same premises”.
Source: chroniclelive.co.uk
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