Hartford council cites negative feedback in deciding against Muslim prayer before meetings

Hartford says no to Muslim prayer before meetings

HARTFORD, Conn. — Officials in Connecticut’s capital city say they won’t include Muslim prayers before council meetings after getting mostly negative feedback from the public.

The reversal has led the state branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations to plan a prayer vigil Monday night at Hartford City Hall in protest.

Some city councilors suggested including Islamic prayers in September along with convocations from representatives of other faiths.

City councilors had planned to go ahead with the Muslim prayers despite negative e-mails. The Hartford Courant reported they decided Friday to hold an interfaith moment of silence instead.

The Islamic relations council is requesting that an imam be allowed to say a Muslim prayer at the City Council’s Sept. 27 meeting.