Thousands take to the streets: sharp criticism of the Koran campaign in Stockholm

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The Saudi foreign ministry said on Friday that it was a “systematic provocation against the feelings of millions of Muslims around the world.” The “irresponsible actions of the Swedish authorities” have enabled extremists to desecrate the Holy Quran.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Iran. Believers joined the state-organized and nationwide protests after Friday prayers, state radio reported. The Swedish ambassador was summoned to the foreign ministry in the capital Tehran on Thursday evening in a sharp form of diplomatic protest. Saudi Arabia and Qatar also called their respective Swedish ambassadors.

The pro-Iranian Hezbollah in Lebanon called for demonstrations on Friday. Thousands of Hezbollah supporters joined the nationwide protests. Meanwhile, the Lebanese army protected the entrance to the Swedish embassy in Beirut. There were also nationwide protests in Iraq on Friday.

Criticism also came from Turkey. The State Department wrote on Thursday night that Sweden was expected to “take deterrent measures consistent with its international responsibility to prevent this hate crime against the religion of Islam and its billions of believers.” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke on Twitter on Friday about a “dark, vicious and despicable agenda”. In an official statement, the politician also called on Sweden to act against such acts.

Authorities may be investigating hate speech

The Swedish police had given permission for a meeting in Stockholm at which the applicant wanted to burn another Koran. The Holy Scriptures of Islam were ultimately not burned during the Thursday afternoon action: the man trampled a copy of the book and tried to light it with a comrade-in-arms. However, the fire did not ignite properly. According to photos, some pages of the book showed minor burn marks.

Swedish authorities are now investigating the case for possible incitement to hatred. An accompanying advertisement had been made and a preliminary investigation led by a public prosecutor had been launched, Stockholm police said at the request of the German news agency. The person responsible for the action, a resident of Iraq, has been under investigation since the burning of the Koran on June 28, including for possible incitement to hatred.

The renewed action had already strained relations between Iraq and Sweden in advance. The Swedish embassy in Baghdad was stormed by angry protesters on Thursday evening. Sweden lodged an official protest, demanding better protection for its diplomats from the Iraqi authorities. Instead, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani had the Swedish ambassador expelled from the country. Baghdad even threatened to cut diplomatic relations altogether. Sweden temporarily moved embassy activities from Baghdad to Stockholm, as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced at the request of dpa.

Meanwhile, an arrest warrant has been issued in Turkey for another man who repeatedly provoked the burning of the Koran. According to Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc, investigations have been launched against Danish-born Rasmus Paludan and nine other individuals, including the man responsible for the recent incidents in Stockholm. The reason given was sedition of the people. The right-wing extremist and provocateur Paludan set fire to a Quran in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm in January. (SDA)

Source: Blick