Quran Burnt In Yet Another Protest In Sweden Outside Stockholm Parliament

<p><strong>New Delhi:</strong> Sparking tension between Sweden and Muslim nations, two men on Monday set Quran alight at a protest outside Swedish Parliament in Stockholm, the third such demonstration in recent weeks, news agency AFP reported.&nbsp;</p> <p>In a similar incident in June, Salwan Momika and Salwan Najem had stomped on the Muslim holy book, set its pages ablaze before slamming it shut at a protest outside Stockholm's main mosque, sparking outrage across the Middle East.</p> <p>The duo also staged a similar protest outside Iraq's embassy in Stockholm on July 20, where they stomped on the religious text but did not burn it.</p> <p>Swedish police granted a permit for the protest by campaigners hoping to see Quran banned in the country, according to AFP.</p> <p>"I want to protest in front in front of Sweden's parliament and demand that the Koran be banned," organiser Najem wrote in the application, which was viewed by AFP.</p> <p>As at earlier protests, Momika and Najem were the only participants, with a small group of counter-protesters gathering outside the police cordon, according to an AFP reporter at the scene.</p> <div> <p>Mats Eriksson, a spokesman for the Stockholm police, told AFP that the event "had been conducted without any serious public order disturbances".</p> </div> <div> <p>During the protest, Momika also stomped on a picture of Shiite Muslim cleric and political leader Moqtada Sadr -- whose followers had stormed Sweden's embassy in Baghdad in response to previous desecrations. They had started fires within the compound the night before the July protest.</p> <p>The Iraqi prime minister and the president "vehemently condemned the repeated acts of desecration" of the Quran.</p> <p>Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose support is crucial for Sweden's bid to join the NATO defence alliance, has also expressed deep anger at the Quran burnings.</p> <p>Sweden has already seen its diplomatic relations with several Middle Eastern nations strained over previous protests involving Quran desecrations.</p> <p>Both previous protests have led to widespread outrage and condemnations.</p> </div>

from world https://ift.tt/T4fmKcX
via IFTTT