After the killing of Salwan Momika, a 38-year-old Iraqi Christian, on January 30 in an apartment southwest of Stockholm, Rasmus Paludan, one of the world’s most hunted men, has taken it upon himself to commemorate his death. On February 1, he took to the Quran burning to not just criticize Islam but also to pay respect to the “sacrifice of Momika” near the Turkish embassy in Denmark. According to reports, threats to Paludan’s life have increased manifold after the killing of Momika.
In a statement, Paludan said, “I am standing here with a couple of Qurans at the embassy of Turkey in Copenhagen. As you can see, there is already one burning. This is to commemorate the sacrifice of Salwan Momika and his criticism of Islam. Yesterday, the Copenhagen police decided to ban my protests. The solution is to tell the police you’re having a protest. I had a lot of fun burning this big book…” Paludan has also added “Islam’s growing dominance in the West”.
Salwan Momika was a Christian activist leader from Iraq who took refuge in Sweden. He was a fierce critic of Islam and believed to be an ex-Muslim. Momika burned the Quran in protest and faced several death threats after that. The killing of him is linked to his act of burning the Quran.
While critics consider burning the Quran extremist and Islamophobic, however, they continue to defend the killing, a grave, inhumane and barbaric crime against humanity.
Countries such as Denmark, Sweden, and Belgium have banned Rasmus Paludan’s entry, citing possible violence. Freedom of speech ends in these liberal countries when it comes to criticizing a particular religion.
Rasmus Paludan told Rise Align Ignite Reclaim, or RAIR Foundation, an American organization, “Muslims and Islam will never, never live in harmony in our countries. So, either they go back to where they came from, or we must suffer and convert. Those are the only options. And they will not convert us with words. They will convert us with violence.”
Paludan also planned to hold protests outside three mosques in Copenhagen to ‘honour’ Salwan Momika’s struggle against Islam, but the Danish Security Service (PET) prevented him from doing so, citing his security reasons by saying they may not protect him.
Brief Bio of Rasmus Paludan
Rasmus Paludan is a Danish-Swedish politician and lawyer known for his critical views on Islam. He founded a right wing party Stram Kurs (Hard Line) in 2017. Paludan believes that immigrants, especially Muslims, are a threat to Western values and has called for their deportation.
He is famous for his protests, where he burns or damages copies of the Quran, claiming it is his right under free speech. His actions have caused anger and protests, sometimes turning violent.
Paludan has held demonstrations not only in Denmark but also in Sweden. In 2022, his Quran-burning plans during Ramadan led to an attack on him and his followers in Swedish cities like Malmo and Norrkoping.
Growing Islamist Ideology a Concern for Nordic Nations
In recent years, Nordic countries like Sweden, Denmark, and Norway have seen a considerable rise in Islamist ideology. The beliefs injected by radical Islamist people have put social harmony and national security at risk. Islamist extremist networks use online platforms and local communities to spread their views, sometimes leading to radicalisation.
Several attacks and terror plots in recent years have raised alarms. Governments are strengthening counter-terrorism efforts, monitoring extremist activities, and working on de-radicalisation programs. However, due to the cloth name ‘freedom of expression’ on the eyes, they are not able to see the difference between the two societies, one from where they are coming and the other is Nordic society. Integration into Nordic society into these radical elements is either tough or not possible due to the very strong affiliation of Muslims towards their religious faith.
Promoting the integration of other communities is considerably easy. If the government fails to prevent this radicalisation and its effect on Nordic society, people like Rasmus Paludan and Salwan Momika will rise against them, highlighting the actual problem. Hence, Nordic society, people and government should be vigilant towards those radical elements and should stop gagging freedom of speech.
