Nearly half of Danes consider Islam incompatible with democracy, according to a poll published on Monday. The Zapera poll, conducted for Danish think tank Mandag Morgen, showed 48 percent of those surveyed thought Islam was incompatible with democratic values. Thirty-four percent said they saw Islam as consistent with democracy while a further 18 percent said they were undecided. The results were in stark contrast to a poll conducted in February which indicated 51 percent of Danes thought Islamic values sat well with democracy, with 34 percent disagreeing – despite the poll being conducted in the wake of the Mohammed caricature row. The publication of 12 cartoons of the prophet by the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten in September 2005 and subsequently elsewhere, mainly in Europe, led to widespread demonstrations in the Muslim world in February. Muslims consider images of their prophet blasphemous. Much of the Muslim anger targetted Danish interests, culminating in the torching of Danish diplomatic offices in Damascus and Beirut. Monday’s survey canvassed 992 people between August 25 and 28.
