A man tore up a Quran and set it on fire outside the Central Mosque in Stockholm on Wednesday, sparking outrage in Turkey at a time when Sweden is seeking to join NATO. This incident occurred after Swedish police granted permission for the protest. The police later charged the man with inciting hatred against an ethnic or national group.
A series of anti-Islam demonstrations, along with rallies advocating for Kurdish rights in Sweden, have stirred Turkey's discontent, which Sweden needs to address in order to join NATO. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan condemned the burning of the Quran, stating on Twitter: "I denounce the despicable protest in Sweden against our sacred book on the first day of Eid al-Adha." He added that it was unacceptable to permit anti-Islam protests in the name of freedom of expression.
The protests have raised tensions, especially since Stockholm is pursuing NATO membership following last year's Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, Ankara, a NATO member, is obstructing the process, accusing Sweden of harboring individuals they consider terrorists and demanding their extradition.
Around 200 people witnessed one of the two organizers of the protest tear pages from the Quran, wipe his shoe with it, and then place pork inside before setting it alight, while the other protester spoke through a megaphone. Some attendees shouted "Allahu Akbar" in protest, and police arrested one man after he attempted to throw a stone. One supporter at the protest shouted, "Let it burn," as the Quran ignited.
Swedish police have recently rejected several requests to organize protests involving the burning of the Quran, but courts have overturned those decisions, stating they violate freedom of expression guaranteed in the country. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated in a press conference on Wednesday that he could not predict how the demonstration would affect Sweden's NATO accession process. He described the incident as "legal but inappropriate," adding that it was up to the police to decide on organizing protests involving Quran burning.
One of the individuals participating in the demonstration, Sulaiman Momika, described himself in a recent interview as an Iraqi refugee seeking to ban the Quran. Imam Mahmoud Al-Khalfi stated on Wednesday that mosque representatives were disappointed by the police's approval of the protest during Eid al-Adha. Al-Khalfi mentioned that the mosque proposed to the police to move the protest to another location, which is possible under the law, but they chose not to do so. He noted that around ten thousand worshippers flock to the Stockholm Mosque every Eid al-Adha.
