DANISH POLICEWOMAN INVESTIGATED FOR HUGGING NIQAB-WEARING PROTESTER

by Islamic information portal

A Danish policewoman who hugged a protester wearing the niqab is under investigation, the police complaints body has said.

The unnamed officer hugged the woman at an August demonstration against Denmark’s ban on wearing face veils.

Members of the conservative Venstre party made the complaint, arguing the officer should not have been involved.

But the policewoman’s lawyer said she acted appropriately in her role as a “dialogue officer”.

Danish newspaper BT reports that Mr Knuth’s complaint says the officer’s actions could suggest “the police in Denmark sympathise more with niqab demonstrators than with [government] legislation”.

“The police must never become a volunteer or involuntary actor in a political debate,” Mr Knuth told public service broadcaster DR.

But the policewoman’s lawyer, Torben Koch, told Reuters news agency she felt she had acted appropriately that day in her role as a “dialogue officer” – on-duty police who serve to ease tensions during protests.

“It is complete nonsense,” Mr Koch said. “As my client said, if it had been any other person in the same situation she would have done the same, so it has nothing to do with her wearing the niqab.”