Denmark’s parliament approved a bill on Thursday, criminalizing the burning of copies of the Quran in public spaces. The decision comes in response to protests in Muslim nations expressing outrage over the desecration of Islam’s holy book, which raised security concerns in Denmark.
Throughout this year, both Denmark and Sweden witnessed a series of public protests where anti-Islam activists engaged in burning or damaging copies of the Quran. These incidents heightened tensions with Muslim communities, prompting calls for the Nordic governments to prohibit such practices.
Critics within Sweden and Denmark argue that imposing restrictions on criticizing religion, including actions like burning Qurans, may undermine the hard-won liberal freedoms in the region.
Denmark’s centrist coalition government contends that the newly enacted regulations will exert only a minimal impact on free speech, emphasizing that expressing criticism of religion through alternative means remains within the bounds of legality.