An anti-Muslim hate group is among those calling for the Planning Authority to turn down permission for a new prayer room in place of a shop in Buġibba.

Soldiers of Odin, a local offshoot of an international far-right ‘street patrol’ group, has encouraged followers to formally object to the proposed place of worship in Triq il-Mazzola, claiming to have received a number of complaints from residents.

Although the application does not specify a denomination for the prayer room, residents say that large groups of Muslim worshippers already gather regularly to pray outside the shop, and some have claimed that the gatherings  cause public disturbances.

One objector cited fear of crime and anti-Muslim gangs

St Paul’s Bay mayor Graziella Galea, however, told the Times of Malta she could not confirm the reports, although she was aware of several complaints on social media. The local council has asked the police to provide information on any reports filed.

“A place of worship should be an adequate one, with full respect to general order and public security,” Ms Galea said. “The local council shall be discussing this application, considering any complaints which have been or shall be raised by residents.”

The application is still at consultation phase, and there have been four public objections to date, largely citing problems of noise and parking.

One objector referred to the area as a “highly populated Catholic residential area”, while another cited fear of crime and “anti-Muslim gangs”.

The Planning Authority has taken a dim view of prayer rooms in recent months. Applications in Gozo, Blata l-Bajda and Santa Venera – the latter two by local Pentecostal and Muslim communities, respectively – have all been turned down due to issues of parking and disruption to residents.

The Muslim community has been vocal on the need for places of worship. In January, some 200 people met in an Msida square for Friday prayers over several weeks, having been evicted from a number of meeting places around the island due to lack of permits.

The prayer meetings drew protests from another far-right group, Għaqda Patrijotti Maltin, before the government stepped in to offer the community the temporary use of the Ospizio in Floriana while discussing a more permanent solution.