Danish far-right politician banned from UK over threat to burn Quran

A Danish far-right politician planning to burn a copy of the Quran during a visit to Wakefield will “not be allowed access” into the UK, the security minister has said.

Tom Tugendhat said Danish-Swedish Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the Stram Kurs party founded in 2017, has been added to the “warnings index” and will be barred from entering the country.

Mr Paludan has held several protests in which the Quran was burned, some of which have led to violent counter-protests.

In a Twitter video on Sunday, he said that he plans to burn a copy of the Islamic sacred book in a public square in the English city of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, this week to coincide with Ramadan.

Speaking in the Commons during Home Office questions, Labour MP for Wakefield Simon Lightwood raised concerns over the potential visit and protest.

He said: “Far-right Islamophic Danish politician Rasmus Paludan said he is going to travel from Denmark to Wakefield for the sole purpose of burning a Quran in a public place.

“Mr Paludan was previously jailed in Denmark for his hateful and racist statements. He is a dangerous man that should not be allowed into this country. Can the Home Secretary assure me and my community that the Government is taking action to prevent this?”

Mr Tugendhat replied: “May I inform the House that Mr Paludan has been added to the warnings index and therefore his travel to the United Kingdom would not be conducive with the public good and he will not be allowed access.”

Police confirmed earlier this month that they spoke to a pupil who sent death threats to an autistic boy after he caused minor damage to a copy of the Quran in Wakefield.

A Year 10 student took the Islamic text to Kettlethorpe High School on February 23, reportedly as part of a dare, and its cover was slightly torn while smears of dirt were found on some pages.

The boy’s mother, who said he is 14 and has “high functioning autism”, said he received “death threats” over the incident.

West Yorkshire Police said an officer gave “words of advice” to one student who sent “malicious communications” to the boy.

The force added they initially treated the damage done to the Quran as a “hate incident”, but officers are now satisfied that “no criminal offences were committed” in relation to the book.

Kettlethorpe High School said it suspended four students over the incident.