Pegida's right-wing extremist leader, Edwin Wagensveld, was prevented from acting by force.
Hague. A Quran was supposed to be burned in the Netherlands over the weekend: right-wing extremist Pegida chairman and critic of Islam Edwin Wagensveld wanted to publicly destroy a copy of Islam's holy book with around ten followers on Jansplein (Jansplatz) in center of Arnhem.
The Pegida action was officially requested by the city of Arnhem as a demonstration and as a “burning of the Quran”. The current Muslim mayor, Moroccan-born Ahmed Marcouch, approved this. Burning the Quran is not prohibited in the Netherlands.