Far right politician Rasmus Paludan banned from UK over threat to burn Quran

A far-right politician who said he would travel to the UK specifically to burn a copy of the Quran will be banned from entering the country, the security minister has said.

Tom Tugendhat said Danish-Swedish Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the Stram Kurs party founded in 2017, has been added to the "warnings index" and would be barred.

Paludan has held several protests in which the Islamic holy book was burned, some of which have led to violent counter-protests.

In a Twitter video on Sunday, he said he planned to set fire to the Quran in a public square in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, this week to coincide with Ramadan.

It comes after four students at Kettlethorpe High School in the city were suspended for allegedly damaging a copy of the Quran.

The incident and the school's response led to controversy on social media and alleged threats against the students involved.

Speaking in the Commons during Home Office questions, Wakefield's Labour MP Simon Lightwood raised concerns over Paludan's comments.

He said: “Far-right Islamophic Danish politician Rasmus Paludan said he is going to travel from Denmark to Wakefield for the sole purpose of burning a Quran in a public place.

"Mr Paludan was previously jailed in Denmark for his hateful and racist statements. He is a dangerous man that should not be allowed into this country. Can the Home Secretary assure me and my community that the Government is taking action to prevent this?"

Mr Tugendhat replied: "May I inform the House that Mr Paludan has been added to the warnings index and therefore his travel to the United Kingdom would not be conducive with the public good and he will not be allowed access."

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