Worshippers in community upset as Shaw University campus mosque remains closed to public

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A small but vocal crowd of Muslims stood on the curb outside the King Khalid Mosque on the Shaw University campus, holding signs that express their displeasure.

At issue: Shaw's refusal to reopen doors at the mosque to public access.

Some people driving by the demonstration blew their horns as a sign of support.

"The university has reversed its course in some respects, by allowing students to worship at the mosque. But as of yet, it's still closed to the public," Attorney Nigel Edwards said.

Shaw, a private institution, can control the access to its property. Visitors, including the media, are supposed to ask permission to enter buildings and go on the campus.

That's not acceptable to Edwards or those who worshipped at the mosque but were not registered students at Shaw.

Imam Juma Mussa said the Saudi royal family provided a million dollars a year ago in order to provide a safe worship space for those who came from Muslim communities. He said the university cooperated with his community at first.

"So, they decided to have some classrooms for Islamic studies in the mosque. The mosque itself, the condition was it was for students and the community at large," he said.

What happens if Shaw keeps denying public access to the mosque?

"We have investigated a various amount of legal strategies, and between what we are trying to do to get this mosque open on the public level, we do need to have action through the courts to get this place back open," Edwards said.

Shaw University has not responded to ABC11 for comment.