There have been renewed outrage and condemnation across Muslim World after members of an Islamophobic group in Denmark have burned a copy of the holy Quran and Iraqi flag in front of the Iraqi Embassy in Copenhagen.
Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Saturday following reports of the desecration of the Quran. They attempted to storm Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses foreign embassies and the seat of Iraq's government
The angry demonstrators were pushed back by security forces, who blocked the Jumhuriya bridge leading to the Green Zone, preventing them from reaching the Danish Embassy.
The extremist group called Danske Patrioter burned the Muslim holy book in Copenhagen on Friday. They also carried a banner with insulting slogans against Islam, before stamping the Iraqi flag and a copy of the Quran under police protection, as seen in the videos they shared on social media.
The group said they did this to protest the attack against Sweden's embassy in Baghdad.
Arrest warrants
Early on Thursday morning, a crowd of Iraqis stormed Sweden’s embassy in Baghdad and set it ablaze in protest against the June 28 burning of a copy of the Quran, Islam's holy book, by Salwan Momika, an Iraq-born Christian extremist who now lives in Sweden.
Meanwhile, Türkiye issued arrest warrants for extremist Danish politician Rasmus Paludan and nine other suspects for burning a copy of the Quran in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm in January, the Turkish justice minister said.
"The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has urged comprehensive investigations to identify the suspects and gather clear identity information and evidence of their criminal actions," Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said.
Diplomatic protests
Sweden has faced severe backlash from Muslim nations over approving the desecration of the Quran.
On Thursday, Iraq's prime minister ordered the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador from Iraq and the withdrawal of the Iraqi charge d'affaires from Sweden.
There has been widespread condemnation and outrage from across the Islamic world, including Türkiye, Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Senegal, Morocco, and Mauritania over the desecration of the Quran.
While thousands protested in Pakistan and Iraq, Morocco recalled its envoy to Sweden. In its response, Iran delayed appointing a new ambassador to Sweden.
For Muslims, the burning of the Quran represents a blasphemous desecration of their religion's holy text. Quran burnings in the past have sparked protests across the Muslim world.
