Sweden and Denmark are considering banning Quran burnings, as these actions pose a security risk and have sparked strong protests in Muslim-majority countries.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated that he is in close contact with his Danish counterpart, Mette Frederiksen, regarding a potential ban. “We are in the most serious security situation since World War II, and we know that states, state actors, and individuals can take advantage of the situation,” wrote Kristersson on Instagram.
Previously, the Danish government had announced that it would explore legal measures to prohibit Quran burnings in front of foreign embassies. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said, “Religions can be criticized, but if you stand in front of a foreign embassy and burn a Quran or in front of the embassy of Israel and burn the Torah scroll, it serves no purpose other than to ridicule yourself (…) However, this endangers the collective security of the country.”
Recently, small groups have burned copies of the Quran during Islamophobic actions in Sweden and Denmark, leading to angry demonstrations and threats in several Muslim countries. The reactions have been particularly intense in Iraq, where the government expelled the Swedish ambassador. Earlier, protesters in Baghdad stormed the Swedish embassy and set it on fire.
