A  FEMALE police officer in Denmark has been placed under investigation after hugging a pro-burka protester.

The incident took place in August during a protest against a new ban on the wearing of the niqab in public places.

Members of the conservative Venstre party raised a complaint after a picture of the pair hugging was published in the Danish press. 

On August 1, a ban on the public wearing of clothes which cover the face came into force. 

No explicit reference is made to Muslim women in the ban decision. However, those wearing niqabs will be liable to a 1,000-krone fine.

Those who breach the ban a second time will be fined 10 times more.

Venstre member Marcus Knuth, who filed the complaint, claimed that, “by this action, the Danish police expressed sympathy for the burka protesters rather than the laws.”

Mr Knuth said in a statement to Danish media: “The police should not take sides or participate willingly or unwillingly in a political debate.”

Police lawyer Torben Koch told the Reuters news agency that his client, as a person responsible for reducing tension in the protests, was acting to promote dialogue with the demonstrators.

In April 2011, France became the first European Union country to prohibit the wearing of the niqab, which completely covers the face.

Just a few months later, Belgium adopted a similar law.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled last year that Belgium's ban does not violate to the European Convention on Human Rights.

Similar prohibitions are being enacted in many EU states.