Saudi Arabia: Man arrested for attempting to storm Grand Mosque pulpit during Friday sermon
Video shows security guards overpowering him
Cairo: Saudi authorities arrested a man for causing a disturbance at the Grand Mosque in Mecca during the Friday sermon.
Security forces in the mosque arrested the man after he attempted to reach the pulpit during the sermon, a spokesman for the Mecca police said.
“Disciplinary procedures have been taken with him,” the official added without details.
An online video shows a man clad in the Umrah white-snow attire dashing towards the pulpit, before security guards overpower him.
In October, Saudi Arabia set into motion a plan for gradual resumption of the Umrah or minor pilgrimage after suspension of around seven months amid stringent precautions against COVID-19.
The first phase of the plan, which began on October 4, allowed 6,000 Umrah pilgrims from inside the kingdom per day into the mosque.
The second went into effect on October 18, allowing about 40,000 worshippers and 10,000 pilgrims a day into the site.
As many as 20,000 Umrah pilgrims and 60,000 worshipers per day were allowed into the mosque according to the third phase that started in November.