Denmark plans to ban Islamic call to prayer: 'Shouldn't sound like a suburb of Islamabad'

By OLIVIA ALLHUSEN, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER Published: 18:12, 24 June 2026 | Updated: 18:12, 24 June 2026 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 Islamic organization Hizb ut-Tahrir holds its Friday prayer at the Parliament Square in commemoration of the victims of the Christchurch massacre on March 22, 2019 in Copenhagen, Denmark 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 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. Around 270,000 Muslims live in Denmark, which has a population of roughly six million people and an estimated 100 mosques. The Grand Mosque of Copenhagen does not issue an outdoor call to prayer under an agreement with local authorities. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.