Hajj Turns Unruly for Pilgrims at Crowded Grand Mosque in Mecca

Despite calls for patience and courteousness, pilgrims pushed and shoved their way Friday around the Grand Mosque, where more than 1.5 million Muslims gathered to pray.

On this last Muslim Sabbath before the peak of the hajj, the annual pilgrimage to holy sites in Saudi Arabia, the prayer leader urged pilgrims to be “kind, gentle, patient and tolerant to other pilgrims while they are performing the rituals.”

“There is discomfort for all when performing the rituals in such a limited space with such huge crowds, and people should be understanding and lenient,” said Sheik Mohammed bin Abdullah al Sabeel.

But once his sermon and the prayers concluded, pilgrims pushed their way out of the mosque, sending many elderly people to the ground.

The situation was made worse as tens of thousands of pilgrims waiting outside the mosque tried to enter.

“We try to help them, but they don’t listen to us. They don’t help us to help them,” said Shahran, a Saudi police officer who declined to give his full name.

Cries of “Help!” and “I can’t breathe!” were heard from pilgrims caught in the middle.

Many pilgrims also were seen rushing to help those who had fallen. There were no serious injuries, though many people suffered minor cuts and bruises.

Such commotion is normal during hajj, which Muslims are required to perform at least once in a lifetime if they can afford it. This year’s pilgrimage ends Wednesday.