The anti-Muslim group Pegida (Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of West) desecrated a copy of the Quran in front of the Turkish Embassy in the Netherlands.

Pegida leader in the country, Edwin Wagensveld, ripped a copy of the Quran in front of the Turkish, Pakistani and Indonesian embassies in the Hague and insulted Islam and Muslims.

Wagensveld threw pages of the Quran on the ground and requested the Quran he desecrated last month.

He thanked the Dutch police, who protected him during his provocation.

The Quran, which has since been repaired, was desecrated during a provocative act in the Hague on Aug. 18 and was given to Ambassador Selçuk Ünal.

It was handed over by Salih Arslan, head of the Mimar Sinan Mosque Association, affiliated with the Turkish-Muslim group IGMG.

Unal told Anadolu Agency (AA) that his group strongly condemns attacks on the Quran and hopes such actions will not be repeated.

"After repairing the torn copy of the Quran ... we will not forget this disrespectful act and keep it in our embassy," he said.

He said they are in contact with all relevant Dutch authorities to prevent such acts.

Attacks against the Quran in Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands

Rasmus Paludan, a Danish far-right politician and leader of the Stram Kurs (Hard Line) Party, continued provocations by burning the Quran in the Swedish cities of Malmo, Norkopin, Jonkoping and Stockholm during the Easter holidays in 2022.

Paludan burned the Muslim holy book in front of the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm on Jan. 21 and the Danish capital, Copenhagen, on Jan. 27.

Edwin Wagensveld, leader of the Islamophobic organization Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West (PEGIDA) movement in the Netherlands, tore the Quran in a one-person demonstration in The Hague on Jan. 22, under police protection and again on Feb. 13 in the city of Utrecht.

Muslim groups gathered at the site where a demonstration in Rotterdam was planned and held a counter-demonstration. PEGIDA's demonstration was not banned despite the announcement that the group's members would burn the Quran.

Wagensveld, who was released the same day after being detained, wanted to carry out a similar action in the Hague the following day, but police detained him because he did not comply with demonstration rules.

On Aug. 18, Wagensveld tore the Quran in front of the Turkish Embassy in The Hague.

In Stockholm, Salwan Momika set the Quran on fire under police protection in front of the Stockholm Mosque on June 28, which coincided with the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Momika trampled the Qur'an and the Iraqi flag under police protection in front of the Iraqi Embassy in Stockholm on July 20 and the Swedish Parliament on July 31 and July 14.

Bahrami Marjan, who is of Iranian origin, burned the Quran on Angbybadet beach in Stockholm on Aug. 3 under the protection of police.