Sweden: Iraqi activist burns Quran again

Despite violent protests and possible political consequences, another Quran has been publicly set on fire in Sweden’s capital Stockholm.

Two Iraqi activists first stepped on a copy in front of the Swedish parliament and then set several pages on fire. The Swedish police had previously authorized the demonstration – but not the burning of the Quran – and stressed that they only give permission for public meetings, not for their content.

In Sweden and neighboring Denmark, there have recently been several demonstrations in which the Quran was set on fire or the Muslim holy book was desecrated with kicks. At the end of June, one of the two activists set fire to some pages of the Quran in front of a mosque in Stockholm. In mid-July he trampled on a copy of the Quran in front of the Iraqi embassy. The protest actions led to intense tensions between the two Nordic countries and Islamic countries.

Activists unfazed by political fallout

The conflict is particularly sensitive for Sweden’s politicians: the burning of the Quran was one of the reasons why Turkey had long blocked Sweden’s NATO membership. Ankara then sharply condemned the desecration of the Quran . However, the two activists are not impressed by the political consequences: “I will burn (the Quran ) until you ban it,” activist Salwan Najem told the Expressen newspaper before the latest action.

Meanwhile, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom tried to calm things down. According to his own statements, he contacted several member countries of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation and emphasized that the Swedish government condemned Islamophobic actions. He also stated that the police are independent in approving demonstrations.

Government announces appeal

Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson sees the burning of the Quran as a security risk for his country and said that morning that his government was “examining the legal situation” and “taking measures to strengthen our national security and the security of Swedes in Sweden and around the world world” into consideration.

“We are in the most difficult security situation since World War II and we know that states, state-like actors and individuals can take advantage of the situation.”

The Danish government announced that it would examine legal remedies against Islamophobic actions in front of foreign embassies. A restriction of the right of assembly is being considered in order to prevent protests with the burning of the Quran in the future under certain conditions. Above all, there is great concern that Islamist extremists could carry out attacks in the two Nordic EU countries.

Denmark is now “regarded in many parts of the world as a country that allows insults and denigration of cultures, religions and traditions of other countries,” it said. In fact, some protest actions were mainly about provocation. This could have “significant consequences”.