Christian churches are under attack in Pakistan
Spectator (UK)MAR 31 2023
Sweden Prosecuting Two Men for Quran Burning
Above: Demonstrators participate in a protest over the burning of the Quran in Sweden and Denmark on July 24, 2023 in Sana'a, Yemen. Image copyright: Mohammed Hamoud/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Left narrative
Burning the Quran is not protected under free speech, as it's clearly been used by far-right activists and others to insult and provoke Muslims. Europe has laws against several other speech-adjacent acts, such as Holocaust denial and defaming royal families, which are intended to incite hatred against certain groups of people. Burning the Quran is no different under the law.
Right narrative
The only hypocrisy in this debate is that while Western countries cater to the emotions of demonstrations, many governments in the Muslim world allow violence against Christians to run rampant in their countries. It's vital that double standards are addressed to protect people of all faiths as well as uphold the values of free speech.