ISLAMABAD: Two protesters ignited a copy of the Quran, Islam’s sacred book, in front of the Iraqi embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark, which may further strain relations between the two countries.
Protests have erupted in Iran and Iraq following Denmark and Sweden’s allowance of the burning of the Quran under the premise of protecting free speech. In response, protesters in Iraq set fire to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad last Thursday.
The two individuals involved in the Copenhagen incident belong to a group called “Danish Patriots,” which had previously held a similar demonstration and live-streamed it on Facebook.
In Baghdad, several thousand Iraqis gathered for a demonstration on Saturday to protest the burnings in the Nordic countries. The gathering was called by ruling Iraqi parties and armed groups, many of which have close ties to Iran.
During Monday’s demonstration in Copenhagen, the organizer stomped on the Koran and set it on fire in a tin foil tray placed next to the Iraqi flag on the ground.
In response to the desecration of the Quran, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that those responsible should face the “most severe punishment.”
