- 14 Mar 2002
- 21,050
- 18,903
This should probably be better organised by the local mosque and the Osaka Municipality:
Muslims gathered at a mosque in Osaka's Nishinari Ward for Eid prayers, with numbers far exceeding expectations. According to the mosque's representative, around 8,000 people attended, despite a capacity of 5,000. The crowds filled the pavements, and at times it became difficult to pass.
The scale of the turnout suggests more than a one-off issue tied to an annual event. Questions remain over whether the mosque had drawn up a security plan in advance and coordinated with local authorities and police. Those on-site tried to regulate traffic. Even so, the situation appeared to go beyond what a single religious facility could reasonably manage. It also raises the issue of how local authorities responded.
Muslims gathered at a mosque in Osaka's Nishinari Ward for Eid prayers, with numbers far exceeding expectations. According to the mosque's representative, around 8,000 people attended, despite a capacity of 5,000. The crowds filled the pavements, and at times it became difficult to pass.
The scale of the turnout suggests more than a one-off issue tied to an annual event. Questions remain over whether the mosque had drawn up a security plan in advance and coordinated with local authorities and police. Those on-site tried to regulate traffic. Even so, the situation appeared to go beyond what a single religious facility could reasonably manage. It also raises the issue of how local authorities responded.
