VIDEO: Man arrested after claiming Makkah pilgrimage for Queen Elizabeth

Gulf Today Report

The special force of the Grand Mosque in Makkah have arrested a Yemeni resident after a video of him holding a banner inside the Grand Mosque claiming to perform an Umrah pilgrimage on behalf of the late Queen Elizabeth II went viral on social media.

The Yemeni national published the video on Monday.

The banner read, "Umrah for the soul of Queen Elizabeth II, we ask God to accept her in heaven and among the righteous."

The footage was widely circulated on Saudi social media, with Twitter users calling for the man's arrest.

Saudi Arabia forbids pilgrims to Makkah from carrying banners or chanting slogans.

While it is acceptable to perform Umrah on behalf on deceased Muslims, this does not apply to non-Muslims like the queen.

The queen was supreme governor of the Church of England, the mother church of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The Umrah is a pilgrimage that can be undertaken at any time — distinct from the hajj, which takes place once annually and usually draws millions from around the globe.

The queen died on Thursday and her funeral is planned for Sept.19.