Far-right Danish politician who wanted to burn Quran in Yorkshire after 'blasphemy' incident banned from the UK
20 March 2023, 21:52
A far-right Danish politician who said he planned to burn a copy of the Quran in a Yorkshire city where a dispute broke out recently over a scuffed version of the Muslim holy book will not be allowed entry into the UK.
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Danish-Swedish Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the Stram Kurs party founded in 2017, has been added to the "warnings index" and will be barred from entering the country, security minister Tom Tugendhat said on Monday.
Mr Paludan has held several protests in which the Koran was burned, some of which have led to violent counter-protests.
In a Twitter video on Sunday, he said that he plans to burn a copy of the Islamic sacred book in a public square in the English city of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, this week to coincide with Ramadan.
Speaking in the Commons during Home Office questions, Labour MP Simon Lightwood (Wakefield) raised concerns over the potential visit and protest.
He said: "Far-right Islamophic Danish politician Rasmus Paludan said he is going to travel from Denmark to Wakefield for the sole purpose of burning a Quran in a public place.
"Mr Paludan was previously jailed in Denmark for his hateful and racist statements. He is a dangerous man that should not be allowed into this country. Can the Home Secretary assure me and my community that the Government is taking action to prevent this?"
Mr Tugendhat replied: "May I inform the House that Mr Paludan has been added to the warnings index and therefore his travel to the United Kingdom would not be conducive with the public good and he will not be allowed access."
It comes after a Year 10 student brought a copy of the Quran to Kettlethorpe High School in Wakefield on February 23.
The cover was lightly torn and a page inside was smudged.
The high-functioning autistic 14-year-old received death threats after the incident, his mother said.Police sparked incredulity in some quarters by designating the damage to the Quran as a "hate incident", although they said no criminal offence was committed. Kettlethorpe High School said it suspended four students over the incident.
Tudor Griffiths, the school's headteacher, said there had been “no malicious intent” but the pupils’ actions were “unacceptable”.
Police later said they "gave advice" to the student who sent a death threat to the autistic boy.
Nick Ferrari slams West Yorkshire police over Quran School incident
The entire incident provoked uproar among some members of the local Muslim community, which caused concern over the possible de facto revival of blasphemy as a social force in parts of the UK.
Read more: Nick Ferrari slams West Yorkshire police over Quran School incident
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said in response: "Blasphemy is not a crime in our country. We will only remain a tolerant and harmonious society if we do not capitulate to mob intimidation.
"Safeguarding children and security must be of paramount importance."
