Police rejected SIAN’s request to burn the Koran outside Stovner police station in Oslo on Friday.
The organization “Stop the Islamization of Norway” (SIAN) applied to hold a demonstration outside Stovner police station on Friday at 1 PM. There, they had plans to burn the Koran.
Now the police have put their foot down. The SIAN demonstration is not allowed to take place at the requested time and place, the Oslo police told NTB.
“The decision was made due to fears of serious disturbances of peace and order,” press officer Unni Grøndahl in the Oslo police wrote in an email to NTB.
She also added that the area is not suitable for such a demonstration.
“One step in the direction away from democracy”
The police’s refusal is one step in the direction away from democracy,” SIAN leader Lars Thorsen said. However, he is not surprised.
“Previously, it would have been unthinkable for a police officer to say that he is not able to do his job. Now they are not embarrassed to say so,” Thorsen told NTB.
He pointed out that SIAN does not usually burn the Koran, but when it did so before, they announced it in advance, and the police showed up armed with large forces. The plan is still to burn the Koran on Friday, he said.
“But the details have not yet been set in place. But if I had them, I probably would not have told either you or the police,” he said.
Swedish riots
In the last week, there has been unrest and riots in Sweden in the wake of the actions of the controversial Danish politician Rasmus Paludan who, among other things, set Korans on fire. Dozens of police officers and civilians were injured, and police cars and buildings were set on fire.
On Tuesday, demonstrations were held outside the Swedish embassy in Iran’s capital Tehran.
Paludan has previously been sentenced to prison for defamation and racist statements against Muslims and was denied entry to Sweden two years ago.
Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews
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Good, wise decision, Politi. Tusen takk.