Pegida leader, three police officers hurt at Quran burning protest in Arnhem

Edwin Wagensveld, the head of the Dutch branch of anti-Islam organization Pegida, was injured during a demonstration in Arnhem where he wanted to burn a copy of the Quran. Despite the intervention of the riot police, counter-demonstrators managed to attack him. Three police officers also suffered injuries, Mayor Ahmed Marcouch told ANP. He said the police were assaulted, and pelted with fireworks and rocks.

"It is very sad and disappointing that so much violence has been used. I am extremely angry about it," said the mayor. "I understand the sadness and emotion that burning a holy book evokes. But violence is unacceptable. You have to fight ideas with ideas."

Three people have been arrested. Marcouch said more people may be arrested in the coming days. “There are good images available of what happened,” he said of camera footage captured at the scene.

Wagensveld had received permission from the municipality to burn a Quran on Jansplein together with ten others. The city said the protest was "within the framework of law and regulations." That action caused a great deal of unrest within the Muslim community, Marcouch said. A flyer from a mosque organization was circulated on Friday calling for a counter-demonstration.

"We also wanted to facilitate this, but at the nearby Willemsplein. But despite several requests, including from me, the counter-demonstrators refused to budge." An emergency order was then imposed, and the riot police intervened.

Wagensveld was initially taken away by the police to ensure his safety. Some time later he returned to the square to be able to carry out his action. "We made every effort to facilitate the right to demonstrate. But when officers and Wagensveld were attacked, we permanently disbanded the demonstration."

Wagensveld has been arrested several times during demonstrations by the anti-Islam group. He has also previously been convicted for violating Dutch hate speech laws.

Mosque organizations to create plan for dealing with Quran desecration

Various organizations representing Islamic mosques, joined together under the group name K7, have called on mayors in the Netherlands to ban demonstrations in which holy books are destroyed. Based on case law from the European Court of Human Rights, they believe that such manifestations are contrary to religious freedom.

Together with policy monitoring group, Monitor Politieke Ontwikkeling, K7 said it has shared its "Step-by-step plan against Quran desecration" with the Association of Dutch Municipalities and the Dutch Association of Mayors. It is a manual for mayors to act decisively when notified of a demonstration that involves the destruction of the Quran or other holy books.

They claim attacking an object of religious veneration is not protected by freedom of expression. "The mayor should therefore ban these expressions to protect the so-called 'religious freedom.' Expressions that incite hatred and religious intolerance (such as burning the Quran) are not permitted." Demonstrations in a different form, with signs or banners, should remain permitted as far as K7 is concerned.

The mosque organizations released their statement in response to the Pegida protest in Arnhem. The mosques said that with their initiative they are "contributing to more harmony and peace in society and to create clarity regarding the framework of freedom of expression."

They added, "This will prevent escalations such as in Arnhem."