Scuffle breaks out at huge Eid gathering in waterlogged Platt Fields Park as organisers criticised
10.04.2024 - 14:33
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Organisers of an Eid event in Manchester have come under pressure after footage of a scuffle in a queue for prayers to mark the end of Ramadan. Eid in the Park was held at Platt Fields Park in Fallowfield on Wednesday (April 10)
The occasion marked the beginning of Eid Al Fitr which is a festival held at the end of Ramadan.
In the last few years there has been an outdoor prayer session at the park with as many as 20,000 people attending. However, yesterday organisers announced that the prayer would be observed indoors due to torrential rain and 'waterlogged grounds'. Photos taken at the event show hundreds of people lined up outside.
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Videos have emerged on social media of a scuffle at an entrance to the indoor dome building at Platt Lane Sports Complex where the prayers took place. In one clip, a person can be heard saying 'this is s**t organisation you know, very s**t.'
In reaction to the incident, Cllr Rabnawaz Akbar who is part of the organising committee said: "Some people were anxious to get in and that resulted in one incident where people were told not to push in. We had to control the crowds for healthy and safety reasons.
"On the whole, despite the weather I can say that we had a successful event and it went well. I hope that in June the weather is much better for Eid-al-Adha and we can go back to praying outside which is what makes the event so special."
Prior to the event, organisers took to Instagram to make a announcement and 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