IZH-Prohibition - Prayers before the closed Blue Mosque
Before the closed Blue Mosque at the Alster, over 200 people gathered on Thursday evening. They prayed and lit candles, a police spokesperson said. Around 200 people were expected to gather again at midday for the traditional Friday prayer. The "Hamburger Abendblatt" had previously reported on the evening prayer.
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) had banned the operator of the Mosque, the extremist-labeled Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH), on Wednesday. The IZH spreads the ideology of the so-called Islamic Revolution in Germany as a direct representation of the Iranian "Revolutionary Leader" in an aggressive and combative manner, according to a statement from the Ministry.
Nationwide, the Police seized assets and facilities of the Center and five of its affiliated organizations. The Blue Mosque is now under the administration of the Federal Government.
Despite the ban on the Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH), people continued to gather at the Blue Mosque in Hamburg, even for Friday prayers. This was a stark contrast to the police action against the IZH and its affiliated organizations across Germany, seizing their assets and facilities due to their promotion of extremist ideologies. Meanwhile, Tehran, known for its strict religious policies, might find such gatherings during prayer times more conforming to its religious standards.
