A public burning of the Koran will take place in the Swedish capital Stockholm on Wednesday afternoon. The police granted a request after several courts in the spring upheld complaints from applicants who had been banned from carrying out such actions. Most recently, in January, the burning of a Quran in front of the Turkish embassy provoked international reactions.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said, among other things, that Sweden cannot join NATO as long as the Koran is burned in Sweden. The action takes place in front of a mosque in the central district of Södermalm. According to media reports, police have requested reinforcements from across the country.
Police warn of “foreign policy consequences”
In February, police had banned two requests to burn the Koran because the actions would endanger the security situation in Sweden. Both applicants appealed. Two courts involved in the case agreed with the rejected applicants, citing the guaranteed freedom of assembly. A police appeal was rejected. Police approved the planned action on Wednesday, saying it could have “foreign policy implications”.
Prime Minister: Action “inappropriate”, but legal
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said at a press conference that he considered the planned action “inappropriate” but legal. When asked by journalists, he did not want to speculate on how the approved burning of the Quran could harm Sweden’s NATO membership application. Sweden wants to complete the process of joining the military alliance in two weeks at the NATO meeting in Vilnius. Turkey and Hungary have not yet ratified the desired accession.
According to media reports, only two people have announced they will take part in the planned “protest”. The Reuters news agency identified Iraqi-born Salwan Momika as the applicant. Momika describes herself as a critic of Islam. He was one of two previously rejected applicants for the burning of the Qur’an.
Right-wing extremist carried out Koran burning in January
In February, the NATO-critical cultural association “Apallarkerna” also applied unsuccessfully for permission to burn the Quran. The chairman, Chris Makoundoul, said they really didn’t want to burn the Quran, it was more about the endorsement itself. Danish right-wing extremist Rasmus Paludan was responsible for the burning of the Koran in January.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
