Some protesters planned to burn a Koran at an anti-Nato demonstration held in Helsink last week, but then reconsidered after learning it would be against the law, according to city police.
The Helsinki Police Department’s Chief Inspector, Heikki Porola, told Yle that the protest’s arrangers had notified the department about the demonstration plans, but later, authorities learned on social media about some protesters planning to burn a Koran at the event.
“We contacted the organiser of the demonstration and told them that [burning a Koran] was not legal in Finland,” Porola said.
On Monday the National Police Board told news outlet STT that according to Finnish law, violating religious peace is a punishable offence, and burning of a Koran would be against the law. There is no similar legislation in other Nordic countries.
The demonstration was held in Helsinki last week and participants did not burn a copy of the Islamic sacred book, Porola said.
It is not unusual for police to negotiate with arrangers of planned demonstrations, according to Porola.
“It’s very typical that we contact the demonstration’s organiser in advance so that the event is carried out in accordance with the law,” he explained.
In recent weeks, a Danish far-right politician has burned Korans at events in Stockholm and Copenhagen, including outside Turkish embassies. The acts appeared to raise the ire of Turkey’s President, Reccep Tayyip Erdogan, who issued a warning on Sunday.
“We may deliver Finland a different message [on their Nato application] and Sweden would be shocked when they see our message. But Finland should not make the same mistake Sweden did,” Erdogan said on Sunday, according to Reuters.
Chief Inspector Porola noted that protesters in Helsinki have not carried out similar actions at anti-Turkey protests in the city.
“There has not been a need to have a discussion about what would be legal and what would not. Nor [have we seen] similar statements on social media linked to these events,” Porola said.
Out of Nato’s 30 members, Turkey and Hungary are the only remaining states yet to ratify Finland and Sweden’s applications to join the alliance.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.