Moscow's Mayor, Sergey Sobyanin, has been
accused of being Islamaphobic after making a number of controversial remarks regarding the city's economic migrants, and confirming permission will not be granted to build a new mega mosque.
The
EU Times reported Sobyanin said building mosques for everyone who wants them would be over the top. He added: “Muscovites now get irritated by people who speak a different language, have different manners, with aggressive behavior. This is not purely ethnic, but this is connected with some ethnic traits.
There are currently four mosques in Moscow, not enough to accommodate the city's Muslim population. The authorities allow Muslims to pray in the streets for Friday prayers.
RT reported that in 2012 Sobyanin had been considering plans to build a mega mosque and Islamic cultural centre in the city.
As Sobyanin announced there are no plans to grant permission for new mosques his comments were denounced by the Muslim community. The Russian Mufti Council has announced it will file a request directly with President Vladimir Putin to build a new mosque in the city.
