Hundreds of people opposed to an application to build an Islamic community centre and mosque on greenbelt land packed out a public meeting last night.
More than 500 people turned up for a community council meeting which would normally attract about 20 residents to discuss the proposals for the new mosque in Newton Mearns, near Glasgow.
One resident said: “Plans have been lodged for a huge floodlit building that would be more at home in Mecca than Newton Mearns. Obviously the local residents are up in arms about this.”
Osama Saeed was at the meeting and reports: “Speaking to Muslims in attendance afterwards, there was a feeling of intimidation from an almost baying crowd. Time after time, mosque opposers claimed they favoured the building of a mosque in the local authority area – just not in their back yard. They would have been as well saying that ‘We are in favour of Asians, just not in this country’.”