Denmark Proposes Bill to Ban Quran Burnings

Facts

• The Danish government proposed legislation on Friday that would make it illegal to burn copies of any holy book, including the Quran, in public places.¹
• Denmark's Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard stated that the law would be written in the same regulation that currently bans desecrating other countries' flags.²
• Hummelgaard added that the country will prohibit 'improper treatment of objects of significant religious significance to a religious community' and make such acts 'punishable by fines or up to two years in prison.'³
• The move follows multiple incidents in Denmark and Sweden where people publicly burned copies of the Quran, causing outrage in several Muslim countries and prompting calls to ban the practice.⁴
• Terming the recent episodes of Quran burnings as 'senseless taunts' intended to incite 'discord and hatred,' Hummelgaard insisted that national security was the primary 'motivation' for the proposed legislation.²
• While Sweden has ruled out changing its freedom of speech laws, it's reportedly examining legal avenues to limit Quran desecrations and reduce tensions in the country.²

Sources: ¹Reuters, ²Al Jazeera, ³Associated Press and ⁴Dw.Com.

Narratives

• Left narrative, as provided by WION. There are many more civilized ways to express opinions than burning holy books. People desecrating the Quran as a protest only want to provoke violence and harm Denmark's reputation and interests. The proposed legislation is for the public good and will protect Danish national security.
• Right narrative, as provided by Spectator (UK). Though burning the Quran is an unsavory act, it's a slippery slope between protecting marginalized groups and infringing upon freedom of speech. Europe doesn't possess blasphemy laws for a reason: to facilitate a free society and allow residents to exercise their constitutional rights.