Dutch far-right
A Dutch far-right activist sparked outrage as he desecrated the Holy Quran outside the Turkish embassy in The Hague on Friday.
The act not only enraged numerous counter-protesters but also prompted concerns about escalating tensions. Edwin Wagensveld, the leader of the Dutch brand of the far-right group Pegida, executed the provocative act. He desecrated a copy of the Holy Quran.
Wagensveld committed this sacrilegious act, which drew widespread condemnation.
Before the demonstration, the Dutch government disliked of the event but clarified its lack of legal authority to prevent it.
Police sealed off the street leading to the Turkish embassy, where the event unfolded. About fifty counter-protesters were present, displaying their opposition to the demonstration.
Notably, Geert Wilders, leader of the far-right PVV party, endorsed Pegida’s Friday demonstration through an online message. This added a political dimension to the incident. It also highlighted the divisive issue of far-right extremism in the Netherlands.
This occurrence is part of a larger trend in Europe. Recent months have seen similar Quran attacks in other European countries. In late July, two individuals set fire to a Quran in front of the Swedish parliament, and earlier this year, Denmark also experienced similar incidents.
OIC condemns Quran burning incidents
Meanwhile, the OIC expressed disappointment with the response of Sweden and Denmark to a series of Quran burnings that have sparked outrage across the Middle East.
In a statement, Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha called on both countries to prevent Quran desecration. He expressed his disappointment that no measures had been taken in this regard so far.
Taha said that it was unfortunate that the concerned authorities claiming freedom of expression continued to provide licenses to repeat incidents. These acts are contrary to international law, leading to a lack of respect for religions.
Following the meeting’s conclusion, the OIC announced that Taha would lead a delegation to the European Union. To urge officials there to take the necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such criminal acts. Under the pretext of freedom of expression.
Additionally, the OIC called on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to appoint a special rapporteur on combating Islamophobia.
