Islamic "mosqueing" and the appropriation of public spaces
mosqueing , adj., appropriating a public or private space through the Islamic act of prostrating in prayer. appropriate , v., to take something for one's own use, typically without the owner's permission. On 16 March 2026 Trafalgar Square in London saw a large public gathering of Muslims celebrating the end of the Ramadan fast. In attendance was the Muslim mayor of London Sadik Khan and senior Islamic clerics. A large area was fenced off for the occasion, during which thousands of people prostrated in prayer, with men at the front and women separated into a group placed behind them. Loudspeakers issued verses from the Qur'an and other statements, people shouted Allahu Akbar !, proclaiming Islam as the one true faith, above all others. Needless to say, some people took exception to this, including Conservative Party member of Parliament Nick Timothy who subsequently issued on X a statement proclaiming it "an act of domination" as follows: Too many are too p...
