Denmark Condemns Quran Burning in Copenhagen

Denmark’s Foreign Ministry condemned the abuse of holy books and religious symbols, describing it as a shameful act that deserves condemnation.

A statement issued by the ministry, today, Saturday, stated that “the Danish government condemns the burning of the Holy Quran, the burning of sacred texts, and insulting other religious symbols,” considering it “a shameful act and disregard for the religion of others”. It also added that it is “a provocative act that hurts the feelings of many people and creates a rift between different religions and cultures”.

It noted that the country respects freedom of religion, adding that many of its citizens convert to Islam.

On the other hand, the foreign ministry indicated the need to respect freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.

The statement also highlighted that Denmark supports the right to protest, but stresses that it must remain peaceful.

The Copenhagen police announced that the protest, which was organized near the Iraqi embassy on July 21, was accompanied by the burning of a "book" without specifying that it was a Quran, while the Danish foreign ministry admitted that the book that was burned was a "holy book".

The Danish radical right-wing group "Patriots" stands behind this act, while the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for its part, issued a statement strongly condemning the operation.