Iraqi women take centre stage to condemn desecration of Quran

Several have expressed the anger of Muslims across the world after incidents in Sweden and Denmark

Iraqis raise copies of the Quran during a protest in Baghdad on July 22. AP

Iraqi women have taken centre stage in condemning Quran burning incidents in Sweden and Denmark that have created diplomatic rifts between the countries and Baghdad.

Videos circulating on social media on Wednesday showed Danish policemen tackling an Iraqi woman to the ground in Copenhagen after she attempted to prevent another burning of the holy book.

The footage was filmed in front of the Iraqi embassy in the Danish capital and showed a man protesting and preparing to burn the Quran as security forces patrolled the area.

The unnamed Iraqi woman attempted to take the holy book from the man before officers pushed her to the ground.

The police officer took the Quran from her and gave it back to the man.

Denmark’s government has condemned the burnings as “provocative and shameful acts” but said it does not have the power to block non-violent demonstrations.

Iraq's Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein condemned the burning of the Quran for the second time during a phone call with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen on Wednesday.

Mr Hussein previously called on his European counterparts to “quickly reconsider the so-called freedom of expression and the right to demonstrate” in light of the latest developments.

It comes as an anti-Islam activist group known as the “Danish Patriots” burnt copies of the Quran in front of the Turkish and Egyptian embassies in Copenhagen on Tuesday.

Earlier this week, Iraqi woman Ashki Naz burnt her Swedish passport in protest against the Quran burnings in a video that was widely shared on social media.

“I will burn your passport, and I will not be honoured to visit this country ever again,” she said.

She said she was not in Sweden when she burnt her passport and had left the country several years ago.

She appeared in another video saying that her passport had expired a year ago and that she now lives in Turkey.

Tensions increased after activist Salwan Momika said he would proceed with his second Quran burning in weeks after getting a protest permit in Sweden last Thursday.

Mr Momika, who is from Baghdad, also planned to set fire to the Iraqi flag outside the country's embassy in Stockholm.

Hundreds of Iraqis stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad last Thursday after a call from populist cleric Moqtada Al Sadr describing Sweden as a country “hostile to Islam”.

Sweden had allowed the planned burning of the Quran and the Iraqi flag in front of the Iraqi embassy. The plan was not carried out, but the Quran was stepped on.

Videos also circulated on social media platforms of an Iraqi woman shouting at Mr Momika in front of the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm.

“An Iraqi woman has taken a brave and courageous stance in front of the man who burnt the Quran in Sweden. We deplore and condemn these acts that have nothing to do with freedom of expression,” said the Iraqi women's rights association.

“Freedom of expression cannot be conducted in this distorted and provocative stereotype. This farce must be stopped.”