https://arab.news/jehz7
- Those arrested are members of 鈥淪tram Kurs鈥� 鈥� a group led by Danish anti-Islam and anti-immigration militant Rasmus Paludan
- Stram Kurs is known in Scandinavia for acts of provocation
BRUSSELS: Five Danish far-right activists suspected of planning to provoke Muslims in Belgium by burning a Qur'an have been arrested and ordered out of the country, officials said Thursday.
According to their group鈥檚 Facebook page, those arrested are members of 鈥淪tram Kurs鈥� or 鈥淗ard Line鈥� 鈥� a group led by Danish anti-Islam and anti-immigration militant Rasmus Paludan.
According to the site, Paludan himself was arrested in neighboring France and has also been expelled.
Stram Kurs is known in Scandinavia for acts of provocation and Belgian authorities believe the group planned a Qur'an burning in Molenbeek, a Brussels district with a large Moroccan population.
The alleged plan forms part of the case sent by the police to the public prosecutor鈥檚 office in Brussels, a source close to the investigation told AFP.
Sammy Mahdi, Belgium鈥檚 secretary of state for asylum and migration and himself the son of an Iraqi refugee, welcomed the five arrests.
鈥淭hey were ordered to leave the country quickly, which they did,鈥� his office said.
鈥淭he stay was refused because these men represent a serious threat to public order in Belgium. Another man was recently arrested in France for the same reason,鈥� the statement continued.
The statement did not identify Paludan by name, but added: 鈥淕ermany has also taken a similar decision with regard to this man, considered by the security services a preacher of hatred.鈥�
In August, clashes broke out in Malmo in southern Sweden when far-right provocateurs burned a Qur'an. Residents protested by attacking the police and several officers were hurt.
Paludan, a lawyer by training who lives in Denmark, was initially expected to attend the demonstration, but Swedish authorities prevented him from entering the country.
鈥淚n our society, which is already very polarized, we don鈥檛 need people who come to spread hatred,鈥� Mahdi said.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 care whether they are left-wing or right-wing extremists, I care about the safety of our citizens,鈥� he added.
In a Facebook post on October 30, Paludan said he had informed the French consulate in Copenhagen of his intention to burn a Qur'an at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on November 11.