28 Jan 2023; MEMO: Far-right Danish politician, Rasmus Paludan, committed another provocative act on Friday, burning a second copy of the Muslim holy book, the Quran, this time in front of the Turkish Embassy in Denmark, Anadolu News Agency reports.
Paludan, the leader of the Danish far-right party, Stram Kurs (Hard Line), sought to make a statement to journalists before the provocation from a point across from the Embassy, under police protection.
Police at the scene harshly warned Turks and members of the press who were gathered in the area not to leave their positions, but treated Paludan kindly.
Numerous police officers were stationed in front of the Turkish Embassy during the provocation as part of the security measures taken by authorities.
Some Turkish nationals, who gathered around the Embassy and were reciting the Muslim call to prayer through loudspeakers, were removed from the area, which was cordoned off by authorities just before arrival of Paludan.
After the burning of the Quran, Paludan tried to provoke the Turks who gathered in front of the embassy.
He left the area under police protection after 45 minutes.
Quran burning in front of mosque
Hours earlier, Paludan had burned another copy of the Quran in front of a mosque in Denmark.
Taking his place across the street from the mosque, which is run by the Islamic Society, after weekly Friday prayers in the district of Dortheavej in Copenhagen.
The far-right politician burned the Quran with a helmet on his head right in front of a gas station, which police cordoned off.
Paludan, staring at Muslims leaving the mosque following the prayers, tried to catch their attention by waving material insulting Islam's Prophet Muhammad.
The mosque-goers remained calm amid the provocateurs actions. Notables in the congregation advised those exiting the mosque to leave the area to avoid provocation.
These incidents took place days after Paludan burned a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm, under police protection and with permission from the authorities.
Another such act was carried out by Edwin Wagensveld, a far-right Dutch politician and leader of the Islamophobic group, Pegida, shredding pages from a copy of the Quran in The Hague on 23 January.
Attacks on the Quran in Sweden and the Netherlands were protested in Turkiye and many other countries.
Turkey condemns 'hate crimes' against Quran
After Paludan's actions in Denmark, Turkiye, on Friday, strongly condemned the decision to permit "hate crimes" against the Muslim holy book.
"We condemn in the strongest terms that the hate crime committed in Sweden against our holy book, the Quran, was allowed to be committed again by the same Islamophobic charlatan in Denmark's capital, Copenhagen, today," a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement said.
