Should prayers be allowed anywhere?

Photos showing three men who appeared to be praying outside a highway rest stop’s food court have drawn mixed reactions online over religious activity in shared spaces.

The two photos were posted Sunday on the online community Bobaedream. The user who shared the photos said the men had taken off their shoes and begun bowing in front of the food court.

The images feature three men facing the same direction, one kneeling while the others bend forward with their heads toward the floor. Their postures resemble movements performed during salat, the Islamic prayers observed five times daily while facing Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

Some commenters criticized the apparent prayers in a shared space, asking why the men had chosen a public place. One comment told them to “go live in your own country.”

Others defended religious freedom, saying they had no objection as long as the activity did not inconvenience others. Some also argued that the same standards should apply to prayers and proselytizing by other religious groups.