Islamophobic racist who burns the Quran: Who is Rasmus Paludan?
Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the Danish racist Tight Course (Stram Kurs), is a politician who is on the agenda by burning the Quran in Sweden and sharing it on social media.
Paludan burned the Holy Quran near the Raslatt Mosque in the city of Jönköping on April 29, 2022, despite the Swedish police not giving permission. The far-right politician, who took advantage of the absence of anyone around, quickly fled the scene after the provocation.
Rasmus Paludan (January 2, 1982) is a Danish-Swedish politician and lawyer. He is the leader of the far-right political party Stram Kurs ("Straight Route" or "Hard Line") in Denmark, which he founded in 2017. Paludan held several events where the Quran was burned. This has resulted in counter-protests, marked by some violence and the burning of cars.
Paludan's application, which requested permission for a demonstration to burn the Quran on May 1, 2022, Labor Day in different cities in Sweden, was rejected by the police.
On the other hand, the provocation of burning the Holy Quran in various cities of Sweden during the Easter holiday of Paludan was protested in Malmö, Sweden.
In the demonstration organized by the Party of Different Colors (Nyans), banners with the words "Stop the burning of the Quran" and "Stop Islamophobia" were carried out.
Provocations since 2017
Paludan, who has Danish and Swedish citizenship, has been provoking the burning of the Holy Quran in various cities of Denmark since 2017.
Paludan continued its provocations under police protection near neighborhoods and mosques where Muslims live heavily during Ramadan in 2021.
Rasmus Paludan continued his provocations in Sweden's capital city of Stockholm and the cities of Malmö, Norköpin and Jönköping during the Easter holidays.
Paludan's last attempt
January 18, 2023
Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reported that Rasmus Paludan, an Islamophobic racist politician, made a request to burn the Qur'an in front of the Swedish Embassy in Turkey in the coming days. Paludan announced that he would burn the Qur'an in front of the Turkish Embassy, claiming that the negotiations with Ankara in the process of Sweden's accession to NATO "are aimed at removing freedom of expression".
Danish and Swedish origin Paludan's party Stram Kurs (Tight Course) has an anti-Islamic and anti-immigration policy. Paludan had previously 'made his name known' by burning the Qur'an. While Paludus' actions were not limited to Sweden and Denmark, he tried to burn the Qur'an in France in 2020 but was expelled.
Paludan, who made the burning of the Qur'an the main material of his political campaigns, argued that he would do this "to support freedom of expression".