Sir Sadiq Khan's open iftar event has been deeply criticised by a human rights campaigner who declared such mass prayers are an example of the UK being "too soft" and "appeasing" Islam. Speaking to GB News, Mattie Heaven, the director of the International Organisation to Preserve Human Rights, declared that hosting a public prayer event "goes against the teachings of Islam". Following a row over Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy's criticism of the event during Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has called for mass Muslim prayer to be banned in public. However, ministers have now made it clear that there are "no plans" to introduce a ban on public prayer. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Delivering her verdict on the calls for such events to be banned, Ms Heaven argued that as a practising Muslim herself, she is "100 per cent against the politicisation of Islam". She told GB News: "We have been calling for a ban for the last 16 years, because this is politicising Islam and is actually against the teaching of Islam. "A prayer should be between you and your God, either at home and if you're a Muslim, in the mosques out there. I don't see any Muslim countries where people come onto the streets praying. It is an individual act between you and your home or mosque." Ms Heaven argued that as a result, the UK has become "too soft" and is "appeasing" to the Muslim community. She explained: "What we are witnessing it is very worrying and something that we need to deal with, and it is the result of us being too soft to appeasing that we are witnessing this today, that we've not taken strong measures. "Because this is not about the religion of Islam, this is politicising Islam, using it as a weapon, imposing it to others. And this is actually against the teaching of it, because you are not allowed to impose your religion to others. "And by publicly going into the street praying, that is not part of the teaching." Throwing her support behind those calling for a ban, Ms Heaven declared that if Sir Keir Starmer "had the courage" to impose a ban on public prayer, she would "100 per cent back him". LATEST DEVELOPMENTS Sadiq Khan accused of 'politicising Islam' amid calls to ban public prayer - 'Creating division!' Sadiq Khan's car ban plan under fire as London Mayor faces backlash over costs UK border chief quits after failing to tackle small boats crisis under Keir Starmer She said: "I am 100 per cent supportive of the ban, and if Keir Starmer had the courage to actually ban this, I will 100 per cent support him on that. "The religion of Islam has been used and abused to by individuals to make it politicised." Ms Heaven also expressed fears of a rise in "radicalisation and Islamic extremism" in Britain, calling for mosques to "deliver their teachings in English". She told GB News: "We have two billion Muslims; they are not all radicalised, but we are witnessing the rise of radicalisation and extremism, and what they have been doing is using Islam as a tool, as an umbrella, to brainwash. "One of the things that I will go further with, and I will say, is that preachers in mosques should only be allowed to preach in the language of the nation, so in this country, it should only be English. "Why is that? Because we need to understand what is being taught in the mosque, so we know whether they are being radicalised or it is teaching the spiritual essence of the teaching of the Koran." Questioned on the organisation which ran the event alongside Sir Sadiq, Ramadan Tent Project, Ms Heaven criticised them for "imposing Islam" on Britons – something which is also "against the teachings of Islam". She concluded: "This is imposing the religion of Islam to others, which is actually against the teaching of Islam, and nobody has actually come forward and condemn them. "If you call yourself a Muslim, then you are not allowed to politicise it, and therefore it is legitimate to ban these type of acts because these acts are not only just a spiritual acts, they are used as a weapon." In a statement, a spokesman for Sir Sadiq has told the People's Channel: "The Mayor was proud that thousands of Londoners from all faiths, races and backgrounds united in the heart of the capital for the Ramadan Tent project's hugely successful Open Iftar programme. "Together they showed the world that London will always be a city that celebrates and champions our diversity as we build a better and a fairer London for everyone." Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter