Muslim Iranian granted permission to burn Bible and Torah outside Israeli embassy in Denmark
Plan occurs after similar approval given in Sweden
A Muslim Iranian man has reportedly received permission to burn a Bible and a Jewish Torah scroll outside the Israeli embassy in the Danish capital of Copenhagen. He also made plans to burn the Jewish state’s flag along with the Star of David, a recognized symbol of Judaism and Jewish identity.
“I do it as a reaction to the many recent Quran burnings that have taken place in Denmark and Sweden,” 30-year-old Medhi Zaman told Danish media.
Rasmus Paludan, a dual Swedish-Danish national and far-right anti-Muslim activist, made international headlines earlier this month by burning Qurans in Sweden and Denmark, including outside of the Turkish embassy in Copenhagen.
While formally considered Christian-majority countries, Sweden and Denmark are characterized as highly- secularized societies with a strong focus on freedom of speech.
Zaman denies that his request to burn a Bible and Torah scroll is similar to the actions of Paludan.
“No, I do not think so. I really want to show that what he is doing is wrong,” Zaman told said, stressing that as a Muslim he feels hurt by the Quran burnings and will therefore burn books holy to Christians and Jews.
When the Danish media pressed Zaman why he wants to burn the Bible, the Torah and the Israeli flag when those behind the Quran burnings were neither Christian, Jewish or Israeli, Zaman avoided answering the question.
“Because when someone burns the Quran, this is my response," he replied.
In early July, Swedish police officially gave permission to burn the Jewish Torah Scroll and the Christian New Testament following several public Quran burnings. The planned burning in Stockholm, however, was not carried out.
It is not clear whether Zaman carried out his threat to burn holy Christian and Jewish books outside the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen as of the time of this writing.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
