Melilla Allows Private Eid al-Adha Celebrations Despite COVID-19 Concerns

"There is no element at the moment that requires the cancellation of the festival, since it will be celebrated in the family intimacy and not in the street," said the official, stressing that like at Eid al-Fitr, the collective prayer will be prohibited in order to avoid the spread of the coronavirus.

To ensure the organization of the livestock market which should come from the peninsula, the Melilla government intends to double the number of tents installed each year for the occasion in order to avoid crowds and gatherings.

The government had originally decided to cancel the festival based on reports on the city’s health situation.

After this decision to cancel the festival, the MDyC deputy, Fatima Hamed, asked the Ceuta government for explanations on Saturday afternoon. "We believe that nothing prevents the celebration of the collective prayer, which is quite distinct from the sacrifice made at the level of each family," she had said.