Riots at Koran burning in Arnhem,The Netherlands.
By: Riots at Koran burning in Arnhem, riot police intervenes heavily.
Opponents prevented Pegida leader Edwin Wagensveld from burning a Quran in the city center of Arnhem on Saturday. When Wagensveld tried to pour flammable liquid over the Quran and set it on fire, a group of protesters attacked him.
The situation escalated quickly, with pushing, kicking and hitting. The police and riot police were deployed to immediately end the action, for which Wagensveld had received permission. Even after officers were on the ground, they were kicked. Stones and chairs were thrown. The Quran that Wagensveld wanted to burn ultimately ended up in the hands of counter-protesters, so the burning did not take place.
Wagensveld had the intention to burn a Koran on Jansplein in the center of Arnhem, as a protest against the influence of Islam in the Netherlands. He is known for his provocative behavior. More than a hundred demonstrators, mainly Muslims, gathered in the city center of Arnhem in response to the proposed burning of the Koran. The police ordered them to leave Jansplein, but they ignored this order.