More Muslim Nations Demand European Action on Qur’an Burning
KUWAIT (Anadolu) – Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have joined a chorus of calls on Europe to take measures against the repeated burning of the Qur’an, Islam’s holy book.
On Friday, Swedish-Danish politician Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the far-right Stram Kurs (Hard Line) Party, burned a copy of the Qur’an in front of a mosque in Denmark.
The Islamophobic act came days after the far-right leader burned the Islamic book outside the Turkish Embassy in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, during a police-approved protest.
In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry condemned the Qur’an burning as “a new provocation of the feelings of millions of Muslims worldwide.”
“These acts have been repeated in a number of European capitals recently, under the pretext of freedom of expression, without a clear reaction towards stopping these practices,” the ministry said.
The ministry called on “all European governments where these extremist violations took place to urgently confront all these practices.”
Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah al-Jaber al-Sabah also denounced the Qur’an burning.
In a statement, he called for “taking immediate and serious action to stop these absurd and reprehensible acts, and repeated abuses of Muslim symbols and sanctities, and to hold the perpetrators accountable.”
‘Danish People Uneasy’
People living in Denmark have expressed their frustration at the burning of a copy of the Qur’an, the holy book for Muslims, by a far-right Swedish-Danish figure.
Anadolu asked the people living in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, for their views on the burning of the Qur’an.
Ane Andresem, a 35-year-old Danish scientist, said that Paludan was just doing it to irritate people.
“So I don’t think what he’s doing makes any sense. Legally, he can do whatever he wants, he can say whatever he wants, but that doesn’t mean it was the right move. The Bible could’ve burned too. I personally don’t care because I’m not Muslim, but I can see the Muslims are frustrated,” she said.
Andresem said in countries such as Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, such acts are “permitted to protect freedom of expression.”
A 51-year-old Danish entrepreneur Dorchemie Svain also described Paludan as “a lunatic,” saying he did not understand why the police and the state were allowed to devote so much time to this man.
He added: “If it provokes these people, you won’t do it. Why are you doing this? I think you shouldn’t. Why would you do it if such behavior makes people angry or upset?”