Sweden criticized for allowing Koran burning protests

Swedish police allowed a protester to burn a Quran outside a major mosque in Stockholm, drawing criticism from many countries.

Salwan Momika, 37, who emigrated from Iraq to Sweden several years ago, asked police for permission to burn the holy book "to express his views on the Koran". Before the protest, Momika also said he wanted to emphasize the importance of freedom of speech.

"This is democracy. Democracy will be in danger if they ban us from doing this," Momika said.

Under a heavy police presence and with about a dozen protesters shouting abuse at him in Arabic, Momika, wearing beige pants and a shirt, addressed the crowd of several dozen people through a loudspeaker.

Momika then stepped on the Quran, placing strips of bacon on it, which is forbidden in Islam. He burned several pages before closing it and kicking it away, waving a Swedish flag.

Police cordoned off an area in the park next to the mosque, separating Momika and a fellow protester from the crowd.

Salwan Momika holds a Quran during a protest outside a mosque in Stockholm, Sweden on June 28. Photo: AFP — Salwan Momika holds a Quran during a protest outside a mosque in Stockholm, Sweden on June 28. Photo: *AFP*

Police later said the protest did not constitute a “disorder”, but opened an investigation into “incitement against an ethnic group” because Momika chose to burn the Quran so close to the mosque. He is also being investigated for violating a ban on lighting fires, which was imposed due to the heat.

Noa Omran, a 32-year-old artist from Stockholm, called the protest "absolutely insane." "It's just hatred disguised as democracy and freedom, which is not what it is," said Omran, whose mother is Muslim.

Türkiye, which opposes Sweden joining NATO, was quick to voice its opposition. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called the burning of Islamic holy books "despicable." Most Turks are Muslim.

"It is unacceptable to allow these anti-Muslim acts under the pretext of freedom of speech. Turning a blind eye to such deplorable acts is complicity," Mr Fidan tweeted.

The US, the NATO leader, also criticized the burning of the Quran, but at the same time expressed support for Sweden joining the alliance.

"We have said consistently that burning religious books is disrespectful and hurtful. We continue to believe that Sweden should become a NATO member as soon as possible," US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters in Washington.

Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the burning of the Quran and pledged to protect Muslims from hatred.

"The Quran is sacred for Muslims," Mr. Putin said during a trip to Russia's Muslim-majority region of Dagestan on June 28. "We know that in other countries they act differently, they do not respect people's religious feelings and believe that attacking a person's religious beliefs is not a crime."

Police gave Momika the go-ahead two weeks after a Swedish appeals court overturned a police decision to deny permission for two Koran-burning rallies in Stockholm. Police cited security concerns after the January demonstration led to weeks of protests and calls for a boycott of Swedish goods.

The Iraqi government issued a statement strongly condemning "the repeated acts of burning copies of the Quran by extremist and disorderly individuals".

"These actions demonstrate a spirit of hatred and aggression that goes against the principle of freedom of expression," the statement said. "They are not only racist, but also promote violence and hatred. We must condemn irresponsible actions that directly conflict with the value of respecting diversity and the beliefs of others."

Iran called the Quran burning "provocative, inconsiderate and unacceptable". Morocco also condemned the incident and recalled its ambassador in Stockholm.

"This offensive and irresponsible act disregards the feelings of more than a billion Muslims, at the sacred moment of the great pilgrimage to Mecca and the occasion of Eid al-Adha," the Moroccan government statement said.

Huyen Le (According to AFP , RT )

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