Controversial Islamic Scholar’s Mosque Visit Sparks Outrage in Montpellier

Barely had journalist Ian Hamel, correspondent of the weekly Le Point in Switzerland, shared the information on Twitter that it provoked the anger of Internet users and the authorities, reports Franceinfo. The author of "The Truth About Tariq Ramadan: His Family, His Networks, His Strategy" believes that what strikes him is that it is the only mosque in France to welcome Tariq Ramadan. "While the representatives of the cult in France have disowned him. And one of Ramadan’s accusers, Christelle, lives near Montpellier. It’s somewhere provocation," he commented.

For his part, Philippe Saurel, mayor of Montpellier, said he had "alerted the prefect to the public disorder that the presence of this character" in his city could cause. "The name of Ramadan certainly creates upheaval. We have nothing to gain in this invitation. But as he is coming out of a difficult year with imprisonment in particular, we want to know what these trials have changed for him, in his behavior, his way of thinking, of seeing religion and practicing it too. It must reformat the mind," tried to justify the imam Mohamed Khattabi who extended the invitation to the Islamic scholar.

"The meaning of personal and collective trials" is the theme of the conference that Tariq Ramadan will lead, which was inspired by his personal life, including the rape allegations. The Islamic scholar has indeed been indicted for rape and rape on a vulnerable person after several women filed complaints against him in 2017. After being held in pre-trial detention, he is now on parole.