After the French Interior Minister called for strengthening security during Christmas worship services, a group of 12 Muslim men stood outside the entrance to one church in Pas-de-Calais to offer protection from any possible terrorist attacks.
The symbolic show of unity during midnight mass was organized by Hashim El Jazaoui of the Union of Muslim Citizens in the northern French area of Lens, reports Belgium’s RTL.
Muslims standing guard in front of a church, protecting a Christmas service in Lens, France #MerryChristmas pic.twitter.com/iKTJxIq424
— Manos Moschopoulos (@maledictus) December 25, 2015
“We want to say that we are all together. We are brothers. We are in the same boat. If the boat sinks, we all sink. If mentally ill people want to kill us, they will have to kill us all together,” El Jazaoui reportedly said in a statement.
The warm gesture was received with gratitude by the clergy and the 200 Christians who attended Thursday’s service and offered words of peace to the Muslims.
(READ more at Morroco World News)