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Denmark and Sweden consider banning protests burning Quran and other religious texts

31 July 2023 11:48 (UTC +04:00)

Denmark is considering banning protests involving burning the Quran or other religious texts over security and diplomatic concerns, APA reports citing BBC.

The Danish foreign ministry said whilst protecting freedom of expression is crucial, such protests benefit extremists and pose a security threat.

Copenhagen is looking at legal means to intervene in some circumstances, including protests outside embassies.

Sweden's prime minister also said work on a similar process has begun there.

Both Scandinavian countries have come under pressure in recent weeks, after authorities gave permission for a series of controversial protests where Islam's holy book was destroyed, stoking diplomatic tensions with several Muslim-majority nations.

In June, an Iraqi Christian refugee living in Sweden, burned a copy of the religious text outside Stockholm's central mosque.

The man was then given permission to destroy a Quran for a second time last week, which led to Sweden evacuating its embassy staff from Baghdad after the building was stormed and set fire to by protesters

Following this, last week two Danish far-right activists stamped on a Quran and set it alight in a tin foil tray next to an Iraqi flag on the ground outside Iraq's embassy in Copenhagen.