The Hague, Netherlands

A demonstration in the Netherlands took a dark turn, when on Friday (August 18th), a Dutch far-right activist desecrated a copy of the Quran, the holy book of Islam, during a demonstration outside the Turkish embassy in The Hague.

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The action infuriated dozens of counter-protesters and led to a stone pelting incident directed at the demonstrator who ripped up the holy book, and stomped on it.

Who did it?

As per a report by news agency AFP, their correspondents witnessed Edwin Wagensveld, leader of the Dutch branch of far-right group Pegida, damage a copy of the Quran. 

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The street where the Turkey embassy is located was sealed off by the police. Around 50 counter-protestors were also present at the scene, reportedly some of them began throwing stones at the far-right demonstrator when he tore out pages from the holy book of Islam. 

Also read | Two Christian brothers arrested for blasphemy that led to riots in Pakistan’s Jaranwala

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Some even tried to chase after Wagensveld as he left the scene but police equipped with shields and batons intervened to stop them.

‘Pathetic but legal’

Condemning the act, on Friday morning, the Netherlands' Turkish-born justice minister, described the plan to destroy the holy book as "fairly primitive and pathetic," but said that the nation's laws authorise such a demonstration.

AFP reports that Geert Wilders, the leader of the PVV, another far-right party in Netherlands, posted a message online supporting Friday's demonstration by Pegida.

Also read | Denmark to put legal limits on protests involving Quran burnings

During the demonstration, Pegida leader Edwin Wagensveld was seen wearing a shirt that likened the Islamic holy book Quran to Adolf Hitler's 'Mein Kampf'. Previously, in January, he had made remarks of this nature during a similar demonstration, and now faces trials for the comments.

Quran desecration incidents on rise

Recently, there have been other, similar attacks of the Quran in many European nations. 

In late July of this year, two men had set fire to the holy book of Islam outside the Swedish parliament. 

Similar incidents have also been reported in Denmark. Also in July, a small group of demonstrators in Denmark had set ablaze a copy of the holy book Quran in front of the Iraqi embassy in Copenhagen. Following this, the nation's government had announced that it was contemplating enacting legal limitations to stop demonstrations that involved the burning of the holy book.

(With inputs from agencies)

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