Major Paris mosques stay closed due to 30-person limit under eased lockdown

Many mosques in and around the French capital are to remain closed despite an easing of the Covid-19 lockdown. Rectors of large mosques have denounced the 30-person restriction as "unmanageable", saying they should not have to choose who can attend prayers. 

Grand mosques in Paris and its surrounding suburbs said it was better to remain closed than to have to decide who can and cannot worship.

Rectors said this would be impossible to carry out and feared it could lead to frustration or even scandal, according daily Le Parisien. 

"Due to the 30-person limit in places of worship imposed by the government, the Grand Mosque of Paris is unable to hold Friday prayers or daily prayers," tweeted the Paris mosque, which holds up to 1,000 people.   

On Sunday, France's top administrative court, the Council of State, ordered a review of the 30-person limit in churches in response to a challenge brought by the Conference of Bishops of France (CEF). 

No lucky 30

The department of Seine-Saint-Denis, to Paris's north-east, counts some 700,000 Muslims.

The Montfermeil pavilion mosque usually welcomes 750 people to Friday prayers. That figure has already been halved since the first lockdown ended in May to respect social distancing. 

“When I learned of the 30-person limit, I understood straight away that we could not reopen, in order to avoid frustration," said Farid Kachour, head of the Sociocultural and Educational Association of Montfermeil.

'Priority card?'

"We would have to turn back people at the door. Who should be given the priority? Those who give more money during collection? Those who pray the most regularly? Or should I create a priority card?" Kachour asked ironically. "I prefer to laugh about it."

The same goes for mosques in Aubervilliers, Saint-Denis, Tremblay-en-France, Neuilly-sur-Marne, Noisy-le-Grand, Rosny-sous-Bois, Stains and Aulnay-sous-Bois – the largest mosque in the department with nearly 3,000-person capacity.

Health restrictions have been in place in larger mosques since the first lockdown ended, including hand sanitiser dispensers at the entrance, ritual washing at home, social distancing of 1.5 metres between worshippers and the requirement for each to bring their own Koran and prayer rug.