Norway bans Quran burning

Norwegian police have said that a planned demonstration outside the Turkish embassy in Oslo has been banned amid fears it would become a Quran-burning protest.

Türkiye summoned Norway's ambassador on February 2 over the planned protest that was expected to take place on February 3, the Norwegian foreign ministry and a Turkish ministry source said, according to the National News.

Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang first reported that a group of anti-Islam protesters had plans to burn a copy of the Quran at the demonstration.

Norwegian police said that they have decided, for security reasons, to ban the planned demonstration outside the embassy.

“The police emphasise that burning the Quran is a legal political statement in Norway, but this event can't go ahead due to security concerns,” Oslo Police Inspector Martin Strand said.

Ankara strongly condemned the plans, which it said were a “provocative act”, the source from the Turkish foreign ministry said. The source added that the ministry had asked for the demonstration to be called off.

Norway's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed in a statement that Türkiye had raised the planned demonstration in a meeting.

“Our ambassador referred to the constitutional right to freedom of expression in Norway, and added that the Norwegian government neither supports nor is involved with the planned demonstration,” ministry representative Tuva Bogsnaes said.

Generally, Norwegian police can only ban a demonstration if there is a danger to the public.