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WORLD NEWS Monday 24 July 2023

Protesters try to storm Baghdad's Green Zone over

the burning of Quran

By ALI JABAR and
JARI TANNER
Associated Press
BAGHDAD (AP) — Tensions
flared again in Iraq on
Saturday over a series of
recent protests in Europe
involving the desecration
of the Quran, Islam's holy
book, which sparked a de-
bate over the balance be-
tween freedom of speech
and religious sensitivities.
Hundreds of protesters at-
tempted to storm Bagh-
dad's heavily fortified
Green Zone that houses
foreign embassies and the
seat of Iraq's government
early on Saturday, follow-
ing reports that an ultra-
nationalist group burned a
copy of the Quran in front
of the Iraqi Embassy in the Iraqis raise copies of the Quran, Muslims' holy book, during a protest in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday,
Danish capital, Copenha- July 22, 2023. Associated Press
gen, the previous day.
The protest came two days
after people angered by burned a copy of the Quran perpetrators of these symbols. It has no other pur-
the planned burning of the during a demonstration last crimes," he continued. pose than to provoke and
Islamic holy book in Swe- month in Stockholm had In the incident in Copenha- create division."
den stormed the Swedish threatened to do the same gen, according to Danish The incident prompted the
Embassy in Baghdad. thing again onThursday but media reports, members of protests in Baghdad over-
Security forces on Saturday ultimately stopped short of the ultranationalist group night. Chanting in support
pushed back the protest- setting fire to the book. Danske Patrioter burned a of the anti-Western Shiite
ers, who blocked the Jum- The man — an Iraqi of Chris- copy of the Quran and an cleric al-Sadr and carrying
huriya bridge leading to tian origin living in Stock- Iraqi flag in front of the Iraqi images of him and the flag
the Green Zone, prevent- holm, now a self-described Embassy, livestreaming the associated with his move-
ing them from reaching the atheist — did, however, kick action on Facebook. ment, along with the Iraqi
Danish Embassy. and step on it, and did the Copenhagen police flag, hundreds of protest-
Elsewhere in Iraq, protesters same with an Iraqi flag and spokeswoman Trine Fisker ers attempted to enter the
burned three caravans be- a photo of influential Iraqi told the AP that "a very Green Zone and clashed
longing to a demining proj- Shiite cleric and political small demonstration" with with security forces before
ect run by the the Danish leader Muqtada al-Sadr fewer than 10 people took dispersing.
Refugee Council in the city and of Iran's supreme lead- place Friday afternoon Later, the Iraqi Ministry of
of Basra in the south, local er Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. across the street from the Foreign Affairs condemned
police said in a statement. The right to hold public Iraqi Embassy and that a in a statement "in strong
The fire was extinguished demonstrations is protect- book was burned. and repeated terms, the in-
by civil defense responders, ed by the constitution in "We do not know what cident of abuse against the
and there were "no human Sweden, and blasphemy book it was," she said. "Ap- holy Quran and the flag of
casualties, only material laws were abandoned in parently they tried to burn the Republic of Iraq in front
losses," the statement said. the 1970s. Police gener- the Iraqi flag and after that, of the Iraqi Embassy in Den-
The council confirmed in ally give permission based somebody stepped on it." mark."
an emailed statement to on whether they believe a Fisker said the "political It called the international
The Associated Press that public gathering can be angle is not for the police community "to stand ur-
its premises in Basra "came held without major disrup- to comment" on, but the gently and responsibly to-
under armed attack" early tions or safety risks. "event was peaceful ... wards these atrocities that
Saturday. On Friday afternoon, thou- from a police perspective." violate social peace and
"We deplore this attack — sands protested peacefully The Danish government coexistence around the
aid workers should never in Iraq and other Muslim- on Saturday condemned world," the statement read.
be a target of violence," majority countries. the demonstration. Foreign Iran's foreign ministry
Lilu Thapa, the Danish Refu- In Iran, the powerful Revo- Minister Lars Løkke Rasmus- spokesman Nasser Kanaani
gee Council's executive di- lutionary Guard's chief, sen called the action a criticized the desecration
rector for the Middle East, Gen. Hossein Salami, said "stupidity that a small hand- of the Quran in Denmark
said. that "we do not allow those ful of individuals did." and said the Danish gov-
Iraq's prime minister has who insult the Quran to be "It is a shameful act to vio- ernment should be held
cut diplomatic ties with safe", the semi-official Tas- late the religion of oth- responsible for prevent-
Sweden in protest over the nim news agency reported ers," he told Danish public ing such acts and should
desecration of the Quran in Saturday. broadcaster DR. "This ap- pursue and punish those
that country. Muslims "will decree a se- plies both to the burning of behind them, the ministry's
An Iraqi asylum-seeker who vere punishment for the Qurans and other religious website said.q