A series of Quran burnings by a far-right group in Denmark has triggered angry protests and diplomatic tensions in several Muslim-majority countries.
The group, calling themselves Danish Patriots, set fire to copies of Islam’s holy book in front of the Iraqi, Egyptian and Turkish embassies in Copenhagen on Tuesday, following similar acts on Monday and Friday.
The group livestreamed their actions on Facebook, saying they were exercising their right to free speech and protesting against what they called the “Islamisation” of Europe.
Muslims consider the Quran to be the word of God and view any intentional damage or show of disrespect towards it as deeply offensive.
The Quran burnings were allowed by Swedish and Danish laws that protect freedom of expression and right to protest, but both governments condemned the acts as offensive and disrespectful to Islam.
“These provocative and shameful acts do not represent the views of the Danish government. Appeal to all to deescalate – violence must never be the response,” the Danish Foreign Ministry said on Twitter.
However, the ministry’s appeal did not prevent angry demonstrations in Iraq, Yemen, Iran and other countries, where thousands of people took to the streets to voice their anger at Denmark and Sweden for allowing such acts.
In Baghdad, security forces used tear gas to prevent large crowds from reaching the Danish embassy on Saturday, after protesters stormed the Swedish embassy last week and set it on fire.
Iraq also expelled the Swedish ambassador and Denmark withdrew its embassy staff from Baghdad, citing security concerns.
Iraq’s Foreign Ministry said such acts allowed “the virus of extremism and hate” to pose “a real threat to the peaceful coexistence of societies”.
Turkey, Egypt, Iran and Algeria also condemned the Quran burnings and summoned the Danish and Swedish diplomats to express their displeasure.
“We do not allow those who insult the Quran to be safe,” said Gen. Hossein Salami, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard chief, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
The Quran burnings were preceded by a similar act by an Iraqi Christian refugee in Stockholm on June 30, who was given permission by Swedish police to burn a Quran under freedom of assembly laws.
He stamped on the book but did not set fire to it. He also desecrated an Iraqi flag and a photo of influential Iraqi Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada al-Sadr and of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The right to hold public demonstrations is protected by the constitution in Sweden, and blasphemy laws were abandoned in the 1970s.
Swedish authorities earlier condemned the burning of the holy book as Islamophobic.
“The desecration of the Quran, or any other holy scripture, is an offensive and disrespectful act, and a clear provocation,” said Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström in a statement.
The Danish Refugee Council, an aid organisation whose premises in Basra were attacked by protesters on Saturday, also deplored the violence.
“We deplore this attack — aid workers should never be a target of violence,” said Lilu Thapa, the council’s executive director for the Middle East.
Relevant articles:
– Far-right group burns Quran in Copenhagen, Politico, July 25, 2023
– Iraq and others condemn Quran-burning in Denmark, BBC News, July 25, 2023
– Protesters attempt to storm Baghdad’s Green Zone over Quran burning in Denmark, PBS NewsHour, July 22, 2023
– Quran Burning Continues in Denmark as Muslim Countries Protest, TVC News, July 25, 2023