LONDON

London said on Monday March 20 that far-right Danish politician Rasmus Paludan would be denied entry to the UK for the provocative act of burning a copy of the Koran, Islam’s holy book.

In response to questions from Wakefield Labor MP Simon Lightwood, UK Home Security Secretary Tom Tugendhat said Paludan had been added to a “warning index” and would not be allowed into the country to carry out Quran burnings.

“Danish right-wing Islamophobic politician Rasmus Paludan said he would be traveling from Denmark to Wakefield with the sole purpose of burning the Koran in a public place,” Lightwood said as he posed questions to Interior Ministry ministers in the House of Commons. .

“Mr Paludan was previously imprisoned in Denmark for his hateful and racist remarks. He is a dangerous person who should not be allowed into this country. Can the Minister of Home Affairs assure me and my community that your Government is taking steps to prevent this?” he asked.

See also: Swedes criticize the burning of the Koran in their country

Tugendhat replied, “I am now informing Parliament that Mr Paludan has been added to the warning index and therefore his travel to the UK will not be conducive to the public interest and he will not be allowed access.”

Paludan indicated last weekend on social media that he would travel to the British city of Wakefield to burn copies of the Koran on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan.

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The leader of the right-wing Stram Kurs (Hard Line) party, burned a copy of the Koran outside the Türkiye embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, in January with police protection and permission from Swedish authorities.

The following week, he burned copies of the holy book in front of a mosque in Denmark, drawing condemnation from many Muslim-majority countries, including Türkiye.

*Aicha Sandoval Alaguna contributed to writing this note.

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