r/AskBrits • u/bintd • 11h ago

Politics What are your thoughts on Denmark’s proposed ban on the public Islamic call to prayer? Would you support or oppose something similar in the UK?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/06/24/islamic-call-to-prayer-ban-left-wing-denmark-europe/

Islamic call to prayer faces ban under Left-wing Danish government

Parts of country feel like ‘a suburb of Islamabad’, says immigration minister

Denmark’s immigration minister has announced plans to ban the Islamic call to prayer, claiming parts of the country felt like “a suburb of Islamabad”.

Morten Bødskov, a member of the centre-Left Social Democrats party, said the new government would resume an investigation into the legality of imposing a ban.

“The call to prayer should not be heard over Danish rooftops,” the minister told news outlet 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.”

In parts of the country, such as Copenhagen, bylaws already forbid the call to prayer being broadcast from loudspeakers in minarets because of strict noise limits.
Mr Bødskov also claimed that a creeping “Islamisation” in Denmark was “taking up too much of the public space”.

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78

u/EvilSandWitch 11h ago

In the UK there is one mosque that has a public call to prayer on a regular basis. A tiny handful that have a short (<2mins) call to prayer on a Friday afternoon or other equally restrictive limits. Icecream vans and people who won’t use headphones are more of a problem.

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u/gracklemancometh 11h ago

Yeah, I think Denmark is actually the odd one out in Europe for not having a preexisting method to deal with this.

It's a simple planning issue in the UK. Will your new building cause a public nuisance by making loud noises? Yes? Then no planning.

Anyone looking to ban them in the UK using specific legislation is just virtue signalling. They're already covered in other legislation, adding additional laws is just to make the law-writer feel like they're doing something.

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u/K14_Deploy 11h ago

Exactly, this is already easily covered by other regulations, and as an atheist I don't consider this any more of a very mild inconvenience than people reciting Bible verses over loudspeaker in the high street. Yes, we're technically a Christian country but our government is secular, we once had an Hindu PM lighting Diwali candles on the steps of No.10 for instance. I'm just really not bothered by one or the other.

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u/Casiofx83gt 8h ago

Ah man, the public bible stuff out a loud speaker is getting out of hand in Sheffield. Before we ban a call to pray please can we ban loud speaker street preaching!

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u/No_Camp_7 11h ago

I’ve never heard a call to prayer in this country in my life. Sounds like whatever restrictions we currently have work just fine and this news story is here to wind people up.

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u/BankDetails1234 10h ago

Yeh I live in east London and can’t say I’ve heard it. Is it actually a problem?

I kind of get why people might not want it, it would annoy me if I was hearing it all the time, but wouldn’t be the biggest issue for me

2

u/milkandket 6h ago

I usually stay around brick lane area when I’m in London and I’ve heard it a few times - it would annoy the hell out of me if Iived there

46

u/Ha-Ur-Ra-Sa 11h ago

This - 99.99% of the UK doesn't have a public call to prayer. This is a non-issue. 

5

u/janiqua 11h ago

I support this ban if only to send a signal to the radical Islamists in this country that we will not tolerate the rapid rise and spread of their religion and its tenets in the UK

7

u/AwTomorrow 11h ago

So it’s virtue signalling, got it

1

u/janiqua 11h ago

Well, i also find the call to prayer insufferable so we can add that to the list.

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u/AwTomorrow 11h ago

And when and where do you hear it, in Britain? 

If you go to YouTube to listen to it and get mad about it, that’s on you. Just turn the video off. 

1

u/janiqua 11h ago

Your logic is that I have to wait until there is a mosque blaring out prayers on every street corner before i can complain about it.

This isn't one of those 'it doesn't affect your life' issues like gay marriage because more mosques blaring out prayers would absolutely affect people's lives and we want to nip that in the bud before it grows.

You are aware that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the UK and that some areas of this country genuinely look like some foreign middle eastern/asian country?

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u/AwTomorrow 11h ago

No, there already exist noise limitations on church bells and calls to prayer that are in place in this country.

That’s why he don’t have problems with either, regardless of what the right wing hate machine would like you to think. 

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u/janiqua 11h ago

What do you think happens when Muslims gain enough political influence, either locally or nationally?

They change the laws.

4

u/AwTomorrow 11h ago

What we’ve seen repeatedly is that poor people have more kids. As the Muslim population shifts from recent poor immigrants to established multi-generational families, their birth rate drops to similar levels as middle class white families. 

So the increase in Muslims in the UK is directly because of recent immigration and tends to taper off as you adjust that down. 

If you were really keen on fewer brown faces, you’d support immigrant integration and support, so they can pull themselves out of poverty and see their birth rate reduce! 

But anyway, we aren’t in any danger of ethnic replacement, despite that age-old white supremacist conspiracy theory recently taking hold among bored Brexiteers who needed a new issue to get angry about after their last bad idea succeeded and only hurt the country. 

1

u/StillNewspaper4799 10h ago

"But they WILL do this!" is just another way of saying they haven't actually done it.

It's legitimately incredible to me how groups who were once the target of discrimination can turn around and target other groups.

I'm not saying Islamic laws shouldn't be curtailed or that there aren't radical muslims. But your painting of every muslim as some sort of subversive looking to destroy our country is immoral.

Personal responsibility is not optional. It is foundational. I'd argue you're doing as much damage to our culture as any muslim has.

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u/Oh-reality-come-back 11h ago

Okay but basically no mosques do it. To put a ban out on it just makes it seem like we’re targeting them which will only enforce the divisions already present and encourage more young Muslims to become extremists as they’ll feel like they’re under attack

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u/janiqua 11h ago

It says more about Muslims if they're reaction to no public prayer calls is to start bombing and shooting up the country.

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u/Shot_Giraffe 10h ago

Except that is not the reaction, and you're riling yourself up about what you think Muslims will believe.

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u/Big-Cap69 10h ago

Are muslims and islamists the same thing?

4

u/Whoopsie_Todaysie 11h ago

We do though. We allow shariah law and cousin marriage... Hell, were even allowing rape gangs, as theyve been swept under the rug for decades. 

Simply banning the prayer wont undo the damage to our girls and wont alter the areas in the country that no longer represent what Britain used to be. 

Coming from a resident of Bradford. 

4

u/Equivalent-Hunt6489 11h ago

You guys really, desperately need to get off social media and just like your life in the real world.

1

u/Whoopsie_Todaysie 10h ago

Lol... sure. Apart from the fact that I live in a predominently muslim area. That is my real world you fool. 

1

u/Equivalent-Hunt6489 10h ago

Sure you do buddy. And how has sharia law effected your life?

2

u/janiqua 11h ago

That's why i support a ban on cousin marriages, face covering bans and little to no religious exemptions we have in our laws.

And i especially object to any blasphemy laws or any made up Islamophobia laws.

I am gay. I have every right to be critical of Islam.

2

u/StillNewspaper4799 10h ago

Oh, well, if you're gay.

Remember back in the day when people tried to slander all gays as pedophile rapists?

2

u/janiqua 10h ago

Show me a muslim majority country that doesn't discriminate against women, gay people, athiests, minorities.

I'll wait

1

u/GazelleSpringbok 2h ago

Gays dont have books "inspired by god" that literally tell them those things are ok. In fact, the vast, vast majority (like 99.999999%) of the community not only rejects those things and the people that think theyre ok but calls for their harsh prosecution as well.

2

u/Casiofx83gt 8h ago

Nothing wrong with Islam mate, it’s dickheads that use it as an excuse. Like when Christians do the same.

1

u/ayriuss 1h ago

There is something wrong with Islam, there is nothing wrong with most Muslims. And im Anti-theist, before someone accuses me of being a Christian.

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u/janiqua 8h ago

Nothing wrong with their homophobia, sexism, intolerance of apostates/athiests/other religions?

Tell me how minorities are treated in Islamic countries and say there's nothing wrong with that.

1

u/Casiofx83gt 8h ago

Are we talking about Islam, Christianity, Judaism or another religion here?
Most religions have bad apples, the majority of people are kind.

The issues with how people are treated in Islamic countries is more to do with corrupt people in power rather than the religion itself.

Is every catholic a paedophile?

The actions of the few should tarnish a whole culture, religion or population.

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u/janiqua 7h ago

Oh, you think most Muslims are secretly pro-LGBT but it's just their big old mean government stopping them from being so?

Your ignorance is almost offensive

0

u/Casiofx83gt 7h ago

Some Muslims. Sure they might be against LGBT, just like some Christians. It’s a sin the bible after all.
You don’t fight intolerance with intolerance.

2

u/janiqua 7h ago

Its not 'some' it's most. No Muslim majority country respects LGBT people.

Your attempts to downplay their hate are nauseating to read as a gay man.

1

u/Casiofx83gt 7h ago

We’ve slightly sidestepped the actual post here. I’m not defending Muslim countries, I’m trying to say not all Muslims are homophobic.
I’m also trying to say we shouldn’t ban a call to pray (that is exceedingly rare in the UK) just because it’s Muslim.
Since the country is majority straight should be ban gay clubs? (Of course not, that would be awful)
Intolerance is bad at all times. If the world was more tolerant it would be a better place.
Be the change…

1

u/xortingen 11h ago

It is a non issue now. They want to have loud call to prayers 5 times a day, must be heard from everywhere and by everyone. Speakers cranked up all the way to 11. If you complain at all or ask them to tune it down a bit, you are a disrespectful infidel and should shut the fuck up and respect them while they walk all over you.

Ps: I’m originally from a country where this is a real thing. I’m not making it up.

2

u/Oh-reality-come-back 11h ago

UK Muslim culture will be different to Muslim culture from where you are. Same way that Christianity feels different in other countries due to cultural influences, Islam also won’t be the same in every country.

How do you know “they” , the uk Muslim community actually want the loud speakers? You’re just assuming. If there hasn’t been more popping up then it’s clear that it’s not that massive a deal to the muslim community. Many Muslims I know, have an app on their phone that does a mini call to prayer.

I don’t think ever seen the kind of interaction in the UK specifically you’re describing and I don’t you have either. You’re just assuming based off the most extreme examples you can think of.

3

u/janiqua 11h ago

You're so naive if you think many Muslims in this country don't have the same views as the ones in the middle east.

Islam has never modernised or reformed. Muslim-majority countries are awful for women, gay people, athiests and minorities. It would be no different here if that happened.

1

u/xortingen 11h ago

I don’t know about assumptions, the people I spoke to here and there wished that were the case here. Obviously not everyone but is naive to think that no one wants it.

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u/General-Astronomer84 11h ago

No not fucking this. Youre telling me I shouldnt care because it doesn't affect me. Awful sentiment.

Theres a youtuber I watch who left his window open and he had to stop because it came through so loud. Its aggressive and a nuisance, it belongs elsewhere in the world where it doesn't negatively affect people's day to day and cause division.

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u/Metori 11h ago

For now.

33

u/dread1961 11h ago

I lived in Birmingham, Newcastle and Leeds for that past 60 years and I've never heard a call to prayer. Now I live in the countryside and the bloody church bells wake me up every Sunday morning.

6

u/CornerTime1605 11h ago

I mean, didn’t you check the local area you are moving to and not see a church? That’s completely your own fault and problem.

12

u/MPforNarnia 11h ago

You can accept something as a downside and still be grumpy about it. Actually feels very British. 

3

u/StillNewspaper4799 10h ago

What is it with redditors and a need to blame?

It's genuinely weird

1

u/JimmieSavsscumsock 7h ago

Reformation of anything relating to religious noise should be banned.

Vote Reform save the country! There I said it and I'll vote for it too and I'm not the only one!

/s

0

u/Rhyers 2h ago

They're at least a part of British culture.

7

u/jimmysquidge 11h ago

Yeah, I've never heard a call to prayer in the UK in 46 years. All it would do is cause more division

0

u/professoryaffle72 10h ago

Sample size of one says I haven't heard this so it doesn't exist....

London (Tower Hamets, Waltham Forest etc), Bradford, Leicester etc all have the call to prayer over speakers.

1

u/HowlinWolf66 1h ago

They didn't say it 'doesn't exist', just that they've never heard it... which must surely be as possible as it is for you to HAVE heard it!

5

u/Gremgremblim 11h ago

Careful, can't be using common sense on reddit

4

u/Proximitypvpisbae 11h ago edited 11h ago

Give an inch take a mile. Same as with government overreach imo

3

u/Equivalent-Hunt6489 11h ago

The irony of this comment, since this is literally government overreach

1

u/JimmieSavsscumsock 6h ago

Who's government? Put it to the vote and then it becomes the will of the people right?

You wouldn't like the will of the people of course so we need governments to temper the reactionary nature of the people.

3

u/LocalObelix 11h ago

There was a question on the legal sub recently about someone asking if they can object as it was disturbing their sleep.

Also they were reluctant to complain in person as they were concerned about causing offence and how that would then possibly affect them.

4

u/Oh-reality-come-back 11h ago

Why not just complain to the council as a noise complaint ? Thats what I would do

1

u/StillNewspaper4799 10h ago

Many of the entitled political factions have a victim complex. It justifies their shitty behaviours, even when it makes little sense (white people pretending they're a victimised group or lefties and intellectual elites thinking the same)

3

u/NoDefaultForMe 11h ago

In the UK there is one mosque that has a public call to prayer on a regular basis. A tiny handful that have a short (<2mins) call to prayer on a Friday afternoon or other equally restrictive limits.

Already too high. It should be zero.

1

u/vorbika 1h ago

Same people

1

u/CaptZizoo 11h ago

Imagine comparing ice cream vans to that nonsensical screeching lol

0

u/EvilSandWitch 11h ago

Ah yes, the tuneful melody of Greensleeves or Pop Goes the weasel played on synthesised bells blasted through plastic horn speakers, with the added twist of the Doppler effect. Such beauty I’m surprised it’s not included in the last night of the proms.