Muslim Students In Worship Row At Uni

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Islington Gazette

http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/content/islington/gazette/news/story.aspx?brand=ISLGOnline&category=news&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsislg&itemid=WeED24%20Feb%202010%20

Hundreds of Muslim students and staff have turned Northampton Square into a makeshift mosque after university bosses padlocked their prayer room.

For the past week, Muslims at City University in Finsbury have endured the wind, rain and snow to pray three times a day on the pavement.

And at Friday lunchtime, up to 350 students and staff turned out for the weekly congregational prayer. Shafiq Mundiya, 26, a technical support officer, said: "We need a place to pray and we have been praying outside to tell people that we are upset and that we want our prayer room back.

"The prayer room was constantly being used by staff and students. The fact that the university closed it is quite devastating."