STOCKHOLM: Swedish police have granted a permit for a protest where the organizer plans to burn a copy of the Holy Qur’an outside Stockholm’s main mosque on Wednesday, coinciding with the start of the Muslim three-day Eid Al-Adha holiday.
In a written decision, the police stated that the security risks associated with the planned Holy Qur’an burning “were not of a nature that could justify, under current laws, a decision to reject the request.”
This approval comes two weeks after a Swedish appeals court overturned the police’s initial decision to deny permits for two demonstrations in Stockholm that included Holy Qur’an burnings. The police had cited security concerns, referencing a Holy Qur’an burning incident outside Turkey’s embassy in January, which sparked protests, calls for a boycott of Swedish goods, and hindered Sweden’s NATO membership bid.
Incidents of Holy Qur’an Burning
Previously, the police had also banned two other requests for protests involving Holy Qur’an burnings outside the Turkish and Iraqi embassies in Stockholm in February. However, the appeals court ruled in June that the police were wrong in their decision, stating that the security issues mentioned did not have a clear connection to the planned events.
The individual who made the request for the Wednesday demonstration is the same person whose previous request was blocked. In his application, 37-year-old Salwan Momika expressed his intention to protest in front of the large mosque in Stockholm and voice his opinion about the Holy Qur’an by tearing it up and burning it.
Police have called in reinforcements from across the country to maintain order during the protest. Several police cars were already observed near the mosque early Wednesday, according to an AFP correspondent.
While Swedish politicians have criticized Holy Qur’an burnings, they have also staunchly defended the right to freedom of expression.