Stockholm
Man tramples on the Koran – but refrains from implementing his announcement
Salwan Momika (right) at his Koran protest in Stockholm
© Oscar Olsson / TT News Agency / AFP
At a demonstration in Sweden, a man stepped on the Koran and burned the Muslim scriptures, unlike a few weeks ago. His scheme had led to an attack on the Swedish embassy in Baghdad.
At a demonstration in Sweden, a man is on the Kicked the Koran – contrary to what was announced, but did not burn the Muslim holy scriptures. As the Swedish news agency TT reported, the 37-year-old trampled on a copy of the Holy Scriptures of Islam in a green area near the Iraqi embassy. The man is Iraqi Salwan Momika, who fled to Sweden.
Originally the Koran was to be burned
Less than a month ago, Momika had already set fire to pages of the holy book at a similar protest in the Swedish capital. The original plan for another cremation on Thursday had led to an attack on the Swedish embassy in Baghdad in the early hours of the morning and sharp diplomatic tensions between Sweden and Iraq.
Iraq asked the Swedish ambassador to leave the country. The government in Baghdad has decided to withdraw its envoy from Stockholm as well, said the office of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. The reason for the decision is “the repeated approval of the Swedish government for the burning of the holy Koran, the insult to Islamic sanctuaries and the burning of the Iraqi flag,” it said.
Sweden and USA condemn the sentence
Sweden’s Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom confirmed that the embassy’s chancellery was set on fire. He condemned the incident and accused the Iraqi authorities of failing in their duty to protect diplomatic missions and diplomatic personnel. The USA also described it as unacceptable that the Iraqi security forces had not intervened. What happened in Baghdad was an “unlawful act of violence.”
The action in Stockholm coincides with the Muslim New Year celebrations. Muslims worldwide celebrated the 1st of Muharram on Wednesday and with it the beginning of the new year.
Only two participants took part in the action, which was extensively secured by the police. Significantly more counter-demonstrators had gathered for this. “You are a dog,” one of them shouted at the man who was trampling on the Koran, according to media reports.
Koran burning hate speech?
Criticism of religions is covered by freedom of speech in Sweden. However, legal experts in the country consider it a difficult question whether burning a scripture could constitute sedition. The Swedish government repeatedly emphasizes that what is permitted is not always appropriate.