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Denmark is planning to ban the Islamic call to prayer, with the country's immigration minister claiming parts of the nation risk sounding like 'a suburb of Islamabad'.
Morten Bødskov said the government would reopen an investigation into whether the Muslim call to prayer can be outlawed nationwide, arguing that what he described as creeping 'Islamisation' was taking up too much public space.
'The call to prayer should not be heard over Danish rooftops,' the Social Democrat minister told Danish news agency Ritzau.
'It has no place in Denmark, and you shouldn't be in any doubt whether you've ended up in a suburb of Islamabad when you walk around Denmark.'
The Adhan, the Islamic call to prayer, is traditionally broadcast five times a day to summon worshippers to mosques, often through loudspeakers mounted on minarets.
Bødskov's proposal marks the third attempt by a Danish immigration minister to establish a legal framework for banning the practice, following similar efforts in 2020 and 2025.
Parts of Denmark already restrict public calls to prayer. In Copenhagen, strict local noise regulations effectively prevent mosques from broadcasting the Adhan through loudspeakers.
The minister said an investigation would examine whether a nationwide ban could be introduced while remaining compatible with Denmark's constitutional protections for religious freedom.
The move comes as Denmark continues to pursue some of Europe's toughest immigration policies under Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
Under controversial 'ghetto' laws, authorities can force migrants to relocate from neighbourhoods deemed to have too many foreign residents, while asylum seekers may be required to surrender valuables to help cover accommodation costs.
During the 2015 migrant crisis, Denmark accepted significantly fewer asylum seekers than several neighbouring European countries.
Any attempt to prohibit the call to prayer is likely to face legal challenges.
Denmark's constitution protects the right to public worship, although restrictions already exist on anti-democratic preaching and support for banned organisations.
Britain and Germany also impose limits on when mosques can broadcast calls to prayer and how loud they can be, in an effort to minimise disruption to nearby residents.
