Eid prayers descend into chaos after rain forces event indoors
EID prayers planned to take place in a Manchester park descended into chaos after organisers moved the event inside because of wet weather.
Eid in the Park was due to take place at Platt Fields Park in Fallowfield to mark the beginning of Eid al-fitr, following the end of Ramadan.
Photos and videos from the event showed scores of worshippers pushing and shoving in a lengthy queue outside the new venue. A brawl is understood to have broken out at the gates of the event, organised by Makki Masjid and Alfurqan Mosque and Islamic Centre.
It was rearranged at the last minute after torrential rain and waterlogged grounds forced the organisers to move prayers indoors to the nearby Platt Lane Complex and dome instead.
Posting on Instagram before the event’s start, the organisers said: “Because of the continuous rain, Eid salah will be at the dome.
“Due to recent heavy rains, limited parking is available at Platt Fields Park due to waterlogged grounds. Please plan accordingly. Thank you for your understanding.”
Footage shows six security staff members working together to force the entrance gate shut on a large frustrated crowd.
At one point, a member of staff wedges himself in the gateway to stop a man from getting past, while a brawl appears to take place further behind the gate.
Eid in the Park is one of the biggest gatherings of its kind in the north of England, with more than 20,000 people believed to have attended the Manchester event since its inception in 2017.
A spokesman for the event told The Telegraph: “This year, due to the persis- tent rain over the last few weeks and forecast of further rain on the day, we had to make a decision to move the prayers into the nearby Platt Lane dome complex, which has a maximum capacity of around 5,000.
“We were surprised by the higher number of attendees, who were willing to wait for over an hour to catch one of the prayers. We had to schedule an extra prayer, which accommodated all those who wanted to pray.”