Burnings of the Koran repeatedly lead to protests in the Muslim world. Out of concern for national security, the Danish government has now introduced a law to ban the desecration of religious symbols.
The Danish government wants to ban public burning of the Koran. The Danish Minister of Justice, Peter Hummelgaard, said the draft law proposed by the government would ban the “inappropriate treatment of objects of significant religious significance for a religious community”.
The law also covers the trampling or other desecration of these items. It is only aimed at actions in public places or when they are carried out with the intention of gaining a wider audience. An existing law prohibiting the burning of foreign flags will be expanded accordingly.
After several desecrations of religious scriptures in Denmark, there were sometimes violent protests in the Muslim world. Burning the Koran is a “fundamentally contemptible and unfriendly act” that “damages Denmark and its interests,” said Hummelgaard.
riots after desecration of the Koran
In Sweden in particular, but also in Denmark, there have recently been several actions in which the Koran was set on fire or the Muslim scriptures were desecrated in other ways. The actions led to tensions in the relationship between the two states and Muslim countries and also triggered riots. Denmark and Sweden then tightened their security measures.
According to Hummelgaard, Denmark’s national security is the main reason for the proposed law. “We cannot continue to stand by and watch as some people do everything possible to provoke violent reactions,” said the Attorney General.
At the beginning of August, Denmark had strengthened its border controls with Germany due to a threat as a result of the burning of the Koran. The latter have since been withdrawn.
Law also applies to symbols of other religions
The legislation also applies to desecrations of the Bible, the Torah or religious symbols such as the crucifix. Breaking the law risks a fine and two years in prison.
Both Denmark and Sweden had previously refrained from such a ban, citing freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. The right to freedom of expression is “a cornerstone of Danish democracy” and the freedom to express yourself is a “central value in Danish society,” said Hummelgaard. The bill is “a targeted intervention” that does not change the fact that freedom of expression in Denmark must have a very broad framework, he said.