Own atmosphere: far-right activist burns Quran in Amsterdam, sparking protests
7 April 12:49
VIDEO
On April 3,Edwin Wagensveld, the leader of the far-right anti-Islamic movement in the Netherlands, publicly burned a copy of the Koran in the center of Amsterdam in front of the city council building. Before setting fire to the holy book of Muslims, Wagensveld said that his actions were aimed at “waking up the Netherlands,” Komersant ukrainskyi reports citing Roya News.
The activist announced his intentions in advance, which led to a significant police presence at the scene to maintain public order. In response to the action, dozens of protesters came to the venue, forcing the police to cordon off the area and clear it.
Edwin Wagensveld is the head of the Dutch branch of the far-right movement PTGIDA and has repeatedly desecrated the Quran in the Netherlands. on January 22, 2023, Wagensveld tore up the pages of a copy of the Quran near the Dutch parliament and stomped on them.
The activist justified his actions by freedom of speech, stating:
“This is a matter of freedom of expression, and I believe that this should be possible in the Netherlands.”
This act drew sharp criticism from several countries. Turkey’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Dutch ambassador to protest, calling Wagensveld’s actions a “vile attack” and evidence of the rise of Islamophobia, discrimination and xenophobia in Europe.
Although the desecration of the Quran is not explicitly prohibited by Dutch law, the prosecutor’s office emphasized that Wagensveld’s accompanying statements could constitute unlawful insult to the Muslim community.
In the following months, Wagensveld continued his demonstrations. on September 23, 2023, he tore up copies of the Quran in front of the embassies of Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan and Denmark in The Hague. This was condemned by the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which emphasized the need to respect religious symbols and warned that such actions incite hatred and violence.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also condemned these acts, calling on the Dutch authorities to take the necessary measures against such provocations and prevent their recurrence.
In January 2024, during a Pegida demonstration in Arnhem, where Wagensveld intended to burn a Quran, clashes broke out between Pegida supporters and counter-protesters. Wagensveld and three police officers were injured, and several arrests were made.
Arnhem Mayor Ahmed Marcouche condemned the violence, saying that while he understood the emotions involved, “violence is unacceptable.”
During the current action, protesters against his actions tried to attack the activist.
Wagensveld, by burning the Quran, is certainly risking his own life in a country where Islam is the second largest religion, with 6% of the population professing it. Earlier this year, in January, anti-Islamic activist Salvan Momica was killed in Sweden for a similar act of burning a Quran.
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PEGIDA
Wagensveld is the local leader of PEGIDA (Patriotische Europäer gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes), a right-wing, predominantly German anti-migrant movement founded in October 2014 in Dresden. It was initiated by Lutz Bachmann, who organized the first demonstrations against the German government’s refugee and migration policies. The movement calls for limiting immigration, preserving national culture, and fighting the Islamization of Europe, which has caused a wide public outcry.
PEGIDA quickly gained popularity, especially in East Germany, gathering thousands of participants in its marches. Its activity has drawn sharp criticism from many politicians, human rights activists and public figures, who accuse the movement of xenophobia, populism and hate speech. The founder of the movement, Bachmann, was even forced to resign after photos of him dressed as Hitler were posted online and because of his racist statements. However, he later returned to leading the movement.
At the same time, PEGIDA has found support among a part of the population dissatisfied with the policy of open borders and migrant integration.
Despite internal splits and a decline in activity in some periods, PEGIDA continues to organize protests and continues to influence right-wing political discourse in Germany. Its ideas and methods have inspired similar movements in other European countries, reflecting a broader trend of right-wing populism in the region.
