Islamic Cultural Centre in Dublin temporarily closed after alleged incident
Sarah Slater
The Islamic Cultural Centre in south Dublin has been temporarily closed to the public after an alleged incident which occurred on Saturday.
A notice posted on the gates of the centre in Clonskeagh, which also houses a mosque and Muslim school, detailed that the campus will remain closed until a full investigation is carried out and robust safety and security protocols are implemented.
The notice said the incident was "unprecedented and distressing" which left management with no choice but to temporarily close the south Dublin centre and the mosque to the public.
"The decision has been made with the utmost concern for the safety and well-being of our community, especially the children of the Muslim National School."
It said the move was "a deeply sorrowful moment in the history of the Mosque and Centre," which has been operating here for 29 years.
It is understood that the closure is due to internal issues by the management board.
The centre serves the majority of the more than 80,000 Muslim population.
It organises large celebrations, such as Ramadam and Eid, and has hosted several high-profile visits and services.
Attempts to the ICCI to comment on the matter were unsuccessful.
A petition to stop the closure of the centre has been organised on change.org titled "Save our mosque ICCI from the closure".
The petition, started on Tuesday and which has garnered more than 1,900 signatures, states that of the community are deeply concerned and strongly opposed to the “proposed closure of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland (ICCI), the biggest place of worship for Muslims in Ireland.”
The petition continues: “Closing ICCI would not only disrupt the spiritual and social life of its congregants but would also deeply wound the multicultural fabric of our wider community. In a time when unity, understanding, and inclusion are more critical than ever, closing ICCI would send a message of division and exclusion.”
A call for transparent and open dialogue with community leaders and representatives was also made.
