It lasted only a few seconds, but a call to prayer for a group of Muslims at a Quebec zoo has sparked angry reactions online, a terse response from the zoo and accusations that the whole situation was totally blown out of proportion.

Parc Safari, in Hemmingford, Que., about 60 kilometres south of Montreal, has been the target of some angry comments since a video was posted to Facebook Tuesday, showing a large group of Muslims praying on the weekend.

The woman who posted the 40-second clip writes in the caption that she finds it inappropriate to have to hear prayers on loud speakers at the park.

The video has been viewed more than 100,000 times and attracted hundreds of comments, with some calling for a boycott of the zoo.

The video’s caption suggests that the group used the zoo’s loudspeaker to issue a call to prayer. But the zoo’s president says that information is false, and that the group used their own megaphone for the brief call.

Regardless, the zoo says there was nothing wrong with the prayer and fired back at those who had a problem with it.

"Safari Park is sorry that freedom of religion may offend people," the zoo said in a statement.

The zoo’s president says the Muslim group had called ahead to inform the zoo that as many as 1,000 people would be coming to celebrate. The zoo made arrangements to cordon off an area for them and set up picnic tables, just as they have done with dozens of other groups who have reserved space at the park in the past.

“We were not segregating or promoting,” said president Jean-Pierre Ranger. “We are just a family recreation park that caters to everyone. And what happened here is what has been happening for 45 years.”

The video’s description says that prayers should be held in a mosque and that the public display was disrespectful to Quebecers. Someone with the same handle as the video’s poster published a YouTube video in May in which a woman utters a racist slur at a man on the street.

Ranger said the online outrage is an indication of “malaise.”

“What is occurring today is that extremists are creating a reaction and we are reacting to it. Some people have got to stand up and say stop the nonsense,” he said.

Parc Safari issued a statement on their Facebook page Tuesday, saying that the group respected all their guidelines regarding noise and disruption. The zoo also emphasized that they are a multicultural facility that accommodates and welcomes everyone.

“… A zoological institution is by definition a multicultural place where small and large can discover the wonderful diversity of nature and animals and thus develop affection and respect for this diversity, these differences, and their intrinsic beauty.”

Asked for his take on the outburst of anger that has greeted the video, Ranger sums it up this way: “Fake news.”

He says the reaction has been “totally blown out of proportion” and that the park has been the victim of the hatred of a few people who have “some form of dislike to what is occurring worldwide.”

“We regret sincerely the blowout of this unexplainable situation,” he said.

Zoo attendees spoke with CTV Montreal about the incident. One woman, who did not appear on camera, said she didn’t think a zoo was an appropriate place to hold prayers, but others said the group is entitled to practice their religion as they wish.

“We happen to be Muslim,” one woman said. “So I believe as long as they didn’t trash anything, they didn’t bother or yell or do anything inappropriate…hey, why would it bother you?”

With files from CTV Montreal and CTVNews.ca's Angela Mulholland