Free speech debate engulfs Denmark’s parliament after passing of law banning Quran burning

Bill passes after spate of burning protests that led to uproar in Muslim nations. But some parties believe there is a bigger debate still to be had

Denmark’s justice minister, Peter Hummelgaard, after the parliamentary vote (via Reuters)

The passing of a law banning the burning of the Quran by the Danish parliament has done little to quell the argument over free speech that has beset the country for months.

The legislation comes in the wake of public burnings of the Quran by a small group of nationalists in both Denmark and Sweden. burnings have been shown globally via social media and led to condemnations from Muslim nations and a storm on the Swedish embassy in Baghdad. The burnings have been given as one of the reasons why Turkey still hasn’t ratified Sweden’s membership of Nato. While the governments of both Denmark and Sweden have said the burnings are abhorrent, they was nothing they could do under the law.

The terror threat level has been raised accordingly in both Nordic countries. Sweden was also shocked by the shooting of two people in Brussels in October. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said the shooter “targeted specifically Swedish football supporters” in town for an international football match.

The new law, which still needs to be signed by Danish monarch Queen Margrethe before taking effect, protects all holy books from desecration in the country. Denmark’s justice minister, Peter Hummelgaard, has said the move is necessary: “We need to protect Denmark and the Danish citizens”.

Since July, there have been more than 500 reported demonstrations “with the burning of Qurans or flags,” Mr Hummelgaard said

Sweden’s government has vowed not to alter its legislation on freedom of speech because of pressure from the outside, but is considering legislation over the Quran burnings.

Denmark's Danish coalition government, under the leadership of the Social Democratic Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, has now got what it wanted. The new legislation makes it punishable by up to two years in prison to desecrate holy scriptures.

But the fallout is set to roll on. There is notable anger among the opposition parties on both sides of the coalition government.

“Instead of fighting back, we indulge,” said Karina Lorentzen, the spokesperson from the centre-left SF Party, in a statement.

“I would never have thought that my generation would be blemished by limiting the right to freedom of speech. What has happened in parliament is shameful,” said Inger Støjberg, leader of the hard-right, anti-immigration Denmark Democrats to The Independent.

“We live in a time where democracies become smaller and weaker... This is, unfortunately, an example of how easy it is to boss the Danish government around,” says Inger Støjberg.

The Danish government claims that the new legislation will have only a minimal impact on freedom of speech. It says there must “be room for religious criticism” and that there were no plans to reintroduce a blasphemy clause that was repealed in 2017.

Oussama Elsaadi, an imam with a mosque in Denmark’s second-largest city, Aarhus, told the BT newspaper that it’s “a good message to all Muslims.”

“Burning of the Quran is an offense to others,” he said. “You may express yourself as you wish, but not in such a way that you destroy other people’s lives.”

In 2006, Denmark was at the center of widespread anger in the Muslim world after a Danish newspaper posted 12 cartoons of the prophet Muhammad. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Danish prime minister at the time said: "I want to emphasise that in Denmark we attach fundamental importance to the freedom of expression, which is a vital and indispensable part of a democratic society."

"This being said I would like to stress as my personal opinion that I deeply respect the religious feelings of other people," he added. The crisis culminated with attacks on Danish embassies and a boycott of Danish goods.

This time, the Danish government has chosen a more pragmatic way out. The new legislation has been fiercely debated for months. Ultimately, it only passed through parliament by a slender majority of 94 votes for and 77 against. The Quran law is also dividing opinion among the Danes. Part of the political opposition wanted the government to call a national referendum, but it was refused.

The original bill presented in August was changed as it was believed too far-ranging. The new law makes it illegal to burn, soil, trample and cut recognised original religious texts. However, if the act is part of a work of art, it is not necessarily illegal.

“The determining factor will be if the act is offensive from a broader societal point of view… Wrapping a religious scripture in bacon will be illegal, but wrapping it in a rainbow flag will not,” said Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard in Parliament in October.

Those against the bill – including the hardline Denmark Democrats – will certainly try to keep the debate over free speech going.

“Does the government really think that the people who demand that we change our laws about freedom of speech to accommodate them will stop here? They won’t; they will come back with more demands, and what do we do then?” Ms Støjberg said.