Danish police ban anti-Muslim provocateur’s protest

COPENHAGEN – Danish police have banned a second demonstration by an anti-Muslim provocateur in a neighbourhood in Copenhagen with a large population of immigrants to avoid unrest.

Police said Tuesday they are investigating an object resembling a hand grenade found in the square where Rasmus Paludan was to stage his demonstration.

Police on Monday cancelled a similar demonstration in suburban Copenhagen by Paludan, but counter-demonstrators then set garbage containers on fire and police had to use tear gas to disperse them.

Unrest started Sunday after Paludan, a lawyer who has held dozens of anti-Muslim demonstrations across Denmark under heavy police protection in recent months, threw the Qur’an in the air several times on a square in the Copenhagen neighbourhood of Noerrebro before a raging crowd.