Athens’ first mosque officially opens

The first mosque in the Greek capital has opened after 14 years of bureaucratic delays.

Athens’ first official mosque in 200 years has faced right-wing protests and legal challenges since the project began in 2006.

Athens was the only European Union capital without an official mosque. According to Reuters, the city has a Muslim population of approximately 500,000.

“It is a historic moment for the Muslim community living in Athens,” Heider Ashir, a governing council member of the mosque, said.

“There were so many bureaucratic barriers and some legal issues with the construction of the mosque but, thanks to God, finally we have a mosque which is open and we can pray here freely.”

This video was edited by Al Jazeera Newsfeed’s Adam Adada.