The largest mosque in the capital of Ireland has been temporarily closed.
The Islamic Cultural Center of Ireland in Clonskeagh, Dublin, was closed following an incident over the weekend.
A sign posted at the gate of the complex said that following “a deeply troubling incident” last Saturday, “we have no choice but to temporarily close the Mosque and Center”.
The notice described Saturday’s incident as “an unprecedented attack on our Mosque, Center and members of the Board”.
There was no further information provided in relation to the cause of the closure but footage taken from inside and outside the center over the weekend, and seen by The Journal, shows chaotic scenes and scuffles taking place.
In the videos, men can be seen shouting and pushing back and forth against one another. Gardaí are also present inside and outside the center and in one video, they are seen removing a man from a room after breaking up a scuffle.
Shayk Dr Umar Al-Qadri, chair of the Irish Muslim Council, told The Journal the incident was the result of an internal dispute.
The notice said the Islamic Cultural Center of Ireland (ICCI) would remain closed until a full investigation into Saturday’s events was complete and security protocols were implemented.
The notice from the ICCI management also said that the decision to close the mosque had been made “with the utmost concern for the safety and security of our community, especially the children of the Muslim National School”.
“This is a deeply sorrowful moment in the history of our Mosque and Center,” the notice read.
While the reason behind the closure remains unclear, an online petition was started on Tuesday entitled “Save our mosque ICCI from the closure”. The petition has been signed by more than 1,800 people.
The ICCI has been contacted and asked for comment.
Gardaí told The Journal earlier today that they were “not involved in any matter” at the center.
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