Sweden Quran burning: After a copy of the Quran was reportedly burned in Swedish capital Stockholm on Wednesday on the first day of the Eid-ul-Adha festival, hundreds of people barged into the Swedish embassy in Baghdad on Thursday to protest against the incident.
The protesters included followers of the political leader and Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. AP reported an Iraqi official saying that the embassy was evacuated when the protesters raised pictures of Sadr and the flags of his militia.
This came after the man who burned the Quran outside a mosque in Stockholm was identified as an Iraqi refugee. Tensions had risen after his action was granted permission by the Swedish police citing freedom of speech.
Following the Quran-burning incident, Sadr had called for a protest at the Swedish embassy on Twitter. He also demanded the expulsion of the Swedish Ambassador to Iraq and for a trial in absentia for the man who burned the Quran for his nationality to be revoked.
Iraq's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had reportedly summoned the Swedish ambassador and asserted that Sweden must take necessary measures to stop repeated insults to the Quran. "Legal justifications and freedom of expression do not justify allowing offense to religious sanctities," said the statement.
Initially, the Swedish authorities had rejected the protestors' demand saying the burning “may have foreign policy consequences,” but the security risks and potential ramifications linked to the protest did not allow for the application to be rejected, Politico reported. However, Sweden's court overruled the police decision noting the protection of freedom of speech in their reasoning.
The action brought strong condemnation from Muslim countries. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Stockholm that he would not support Sweden's bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). if it failed to respect Muslims. Subsequently, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Kuwait also denounced the incident.
Notably, this was not the first time when such anti-Muslim activities were reported in the country. Earlier in January this year, the leader of the Danish far-right political party Hard Line, Rasmus Paludan, burned a copy of the Quran near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm. This triggered tension between the two nations and later Ankara suspended talks with Sweden on its NATO application.
