Sweden: Muslims Hold Rally, Condemn ‘Islamophobic’ Quran Burnings
Sweden's capital saw a large rally on Sunday, where Muslims protested against the recent incidents of Quran burnings in the country.
The rally was organized by local Muslim groups in Stockholm's Medborgarepaltsen Square, where around 500 protesters called for a legal ban on such acts of disrespect to the holy book of Islam.
The organizers said in a statement that burning the Quran is a hateful and Islamophobic act that hurts the feelings of Muslims and that holy books should be protected from desecration.
Mikail Yuksel, the leader of the Nyans (Nuance) party, told Anadolu that Quran burnings were also legally unacceptable.
He said that such acts should be considered hate crimes and that they have no place in democratic societies. He urged for legal reforms on the issue.
Last month, a man burned a Quran with police protection in front of the Stockholm Mosque in Sweden.
He chose to do so on Eid al-Adha, one of the most important Islamic festivals celebrated by Muslims around the world.
His act sparked outrage and condemnation from many Islamic countries, including Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Pakistan, and Morocco.
In January, another Quran burning was carried out by a far-right politician outside the Turkish Embassy in Sweden.
Source: Agencies
