The closure occurred in a context of growing political debates around the challenges posed by the expansion of Islam in the country. The order targeted the “Chanteloup” mosque in Aulnay-sous-Bois, a suburb northeast of the capital in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. It was announced by the local prefecture, the regional arm of the French state administration. The administration added that the closure was warranted given the gravity and repetition of statements it judged “capable of inciting terrorist acts.” In 2019, the prefecture ordered its closure after an inspection found the premises did not meet public safety requirements.