The passage of the plans came amidst objections from few non-Muslim neighbors whose concerns were based around parking issues, a local newspaper Scunthorpe Telegraph has reported.
Startling, however, was a joint objection organized by the various groups of Sunni Muslims of the area who first filed with the planning committee complaining about the design of the Ahmadiyya mosque, claiming its high prominence "will create tension."
"We have also received a letter of objection on behalf of the five mosques in North Lincolnshire," said Phil Wallis, head of planning. "They said there is not enough car parking to cope with the events and the design is very prominent and will create tension.”
The Muslim protesters were loud and rowdy and some Muslim men with long beards and missing mustaches were seen even waiving "No to Mosque!!!" banners.
Sunni Islam is an umbrella term for many factions of Muslims including, Wahabi, Deobandi, Brelvi, Ahl-e Hadith and others and collectively find Ahmadiyyas heretic because of the latter's stand against the concept of a violent Jihad.
According to the Scunthorpe Telegraph, Muzaffar Ahmad, president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association in Scunthorpe, told the planning committee that a few people had "objected on the grounds there are already mosques in the town."
"We are not allowed to pray in these mosques as they do not consider us Muslim," Ahmad told the meeting.
While a Muslim Councillor, Mashook Ali, said: “I would like the planning committee to go against the recommendation of the planning officer (to pass it),” a non-Muslim Councillor John Collinson said: “Following the site visit I did not have any major concerns. We seem to have more parking in this proposal and the mosque is already established.”
--- UK: Small group of Sunni Muslims launch rowdy protest against planned Ahmadiyya Mosque
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