Tizi Ouzou: thousands of residents join collective Iftar

More than 5,000 of people gathered in Zaitouna Square in the province of Tizi Ouzou on Monday to condemn a public lunch organized by human right activists during the fasting month of Ramadan.

The protesters organized a collective Iftar, in response to Saturday’s public lunch in the same square.

It begun on Facebook

Reactions were different about Sturday’s public lunch. Some young people were for freedoms respect but away from religion. Amongst comments on Facebook, a person called for organizing a public Iftar in the same square. The call was largely hailed by residents. Local communiqués were released to condemn the public lunch.

Official authorities refused to support the initiative

According to sources, the religious affairs department in Tizi Ouzou refused to authorize an imam to perform Maghreb prayer in the same square.

A number of releases were sent to newspapers to publish Monday’s collective Iftar.

The Iftar was organized and no official authority neither association was involved in the initiative.

Non fasting people joined the Iftar

Some non fasting people joined the Iftar and Maghreb prayer in Zaitouna square.

“We do not fast but we are against provocation. We are here to show that Tizi Ouzou’s residents are against that,” one of them told Echorouk.

At around 6:30 pm, about 300 young men cleaned the square and put carpets for prayer. At 7 pm, tens of residents in far areas arrived.