UPDATES WITH TURKISH DEFENSE MINISTRY STATEMENT
By Merve Aydogan and Utku Simsek
ANKARA (AA) – Türkiye on Saturday strongly condemned a “vile attack” on the Muslim holy book, the Quran, and a Turkish flag in Denmark.
Denouncing the late Friday incident as a “hate crime,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said: "Giving permission to this heinous act, which is a hate crime, under the guise of freedom of expression is completely unacceptable."
"This act, which was carried out in (the Muslim holy month of) Ramadan, has once again clearly revealed that Islamophobia, discrimination and xenophobia have reached an alarming level in Europe and that no lessons have been learned from the past," it added.
It added that the "Danish authorities were informed that we strongly condemn and protest this act."
The ministry urged Danish authorities to take immediate action against the perpetrators, along with concrete measures to prevent further provocations that threaten social harmony and peaceful coexistence.
The Turkish National Defense Ministry also condemned “the vile, barbaric, and disgusting attack” in Denmark targeting the Quran and the Turkish flag.
This “wrongful attitude” of Denmark, which is also a NATO ally, is against both the spirit of alliance and universal values, it added.
Denmark should immediately find those responsible for committing this hate crime, it said.
Recent months have seen several acts of Quran burning, or attempts to do so, by Islamophobic figures or groups in northern Europe and Nordic countries.