Turkish woman denied entry to Makkah's Grand Mosque over Palestine headband

A Turkish woman who travelled to Saudi Arabia for Umrah was denied entry to the Grand Mosque in Makkah after authorities objected to her wearing a headband symbolising — an incident that has sparked widespread attention online.

A video recently circulating on shows the woman sitting in front of the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque, recounting her experience. She claimed that a female officer at the entrance asked her to remove her headband. When she refused, the officer called the police and a translator was brought in. Despite her explanations, she was not permitted to enter.

“They checked my ID and visa. I asked why we couldn’t wear this. They told me this is a place of worship and that no politics is allowed here,” she said.

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She was then warned that if she wore the headband again, her visa could be cancelled, and she would be expelled from the country.

Visibly emotional, she shared her disappointment at being stopped in Makkah, the birthplace of Islam, for wearing a simple symbol of Palestinian solidarity.

Watch the video here

A Turkish citizen documents being threatened by security forces at the Grand Mosque with deportation for wearing a headband bearing the Palestinian symbol.
The question is: Why don’t we see such strictness with those who violate the sanctity of the mosque?#SaudiArabia pic.twitter.com/70sU6ErT4L

— Saudi Arabia's Reality (@RKSA_en) April 8, 2025

“You can’t even wear a headband representing Palestine. We should be ashamed as Muslims. The Saudi authorities can’t even tolerate a piece of cloth,” she said.

She added that she came to pray, not to protest, and that expressing support for Palestine should not be treated as a political statement. “None of us are saying anything. We are all silent. Defending Palestine is seen as political, not as a Muslim or humanitarian concern.”

This incident follows another recent case from Makkah, where a female Palestinian pilgrim was detained by Saudi police at the Grand Mosque for carrying a bag that displayed a Palestinian flag.

According to a MintPress News report, she was told that carrying the flag amounted to making political statements. The woman argued that other pilgrims were carrying flags of countries like Morocco and Turkey, and her flag simply represented her identity.

It is important to note that the exact dates of the incidents remain unknown.

Photo: X

In February 2024, a female pilgrim was arrested in the Grand Mosque for carrying the Palestinian flag while circling the Kaaba. Later, in November, two more individuals — an — were reportedly detained for publicly praying for Gaza and Palestine during their pilgrimage.

It is worth noting that the Kingdom prohibits the display of national flags and reportedly restricts public prayers for the people of Palestine, including at the two holy sites in the country.

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