Prague Muslims Face Challenges Establishing Central Mosque Amid Rising Anti-Muslim Sentiment

Prague Muslims Face Challenges Establishing Central Mosque Amid Rising Anti-Muslim Sentiment
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The Islamic Foundation in Prague has faced at least ten rejections from property owners over six months while trying to establish a mosque in the city center, The New Arab reported. Despite a Muslim population estimated at around 20,000, mostly concentrated in Prague, efforts to secure a central location have been thwarted by landlords unwilling to rent space for an Islamic center.

The last mosque in central Prague, located on a hotel’s ground floor, was forced to close in December 2024 after hundreds of complaints from neighbors. Chairman Lazhar Maamri attributes these difficulties to widespread anti-Muslim prejudice and racial bias, fueled by far-right groups and a history of hate crimes, including vandalism involving pig heads and bones at mosques.

Experts note that anti-Muslim rhetoric has become mainstream in Czech politics since 2015, linking Muslims with terrorism and cultural threats. The absence of a central mosque has not only created logistical challenges for Muslim residents and visitors but also weakened the community’s social cohesion. Many Muslims now struggle to access prayer spaces located far from the city center.