A Danish Minister known for her strong anti-immigration views on Monday called for Muslims to take time off work during the fasting period of Ramzan, saying the practice can be “dangerous for all of us”. The comments came from Immigration Minister Inger Støjberg, a member of the centre-right Liberal Party.
“I want to call on Muslims to take leave from work during the month of Ramzan to avoid negative consequences for the rest of Danish society,” she wrote in a column for the BT tabloid. “I wonder if a religious order commanding observance of a 1,400-year-old pillar of Islam is compatible with the society and labour market that we have in Denmark in 2018.”
She said she feared the fasting could affect “safety and productivity”, giving as an example bus drivers who have “neither had a drink nor eaten for more than 10 hours”. “This can be dangerous for all of us,” she said.
Ms. Støjberg stoked controversy last year when she posted to Facebook a photo of her smiling and holding a cake to celebrate Denmark’s 50th measure for toughening immigration laws.
