Thousands of Muslims protest outside the Colosseum in Rome after small mosques are shut down

The Muslim community of Rome gathered by the Colosseum to pray and demonstrate against the alleged shutting down by police of unofficial places of worship in the city

Thousands of Muslims gathered outside Rome's Colosseum to protest the closure of mosques and other places of worship in the Italian capital.

The group gathered outside the iconic ancient Roman building to pray as they promoted their right of freedom to worship during the peaceful march yesterday.

An imam led the group in chants of 'Allah Akbar' which means 'God is great,' as they kneeled to the ground facing the Colosseum.

The protest was organized by a Bangladeshi group, Dhuumcatu, which has complained that smaller or more informal mosques in Rome have been branded illegal by authorities for building violations. 

At least 1.6 million Muslims live in the country but there are only a handful of mosques officially registered with the Italian government.

Most worship takes place in houses and Islamic cultural centres

But, Italy's Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said in August that 'mini mosques in garages' should not be allowed as it makes them difficult to monitor, possibly raising the risk of radicalisation.

The Dhuumcatu Association, said police had closed three improvised mosques in Rome in last few months.

Sikdir Bulbul, 41, is an Italian citizen who has lived in Rome for 16 years. He said the mosque he helped establish in 2012 was shut down in September.

Source: TMZ.