Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called for calm at a press conference on Friday following the storming of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad in response to the burning of the Quran at a demonstration in Stockholm.
“It is clear that it is completely unacceptable for people to illegally break into Swedish embassies in other countries,” the TT news agency quoted Kristersson as saying. “I also think that we should be calmer here in Sweden. The security situation is serious and there is no reason to offend other people.”
The burning of the Quran took place during a police-authorized demonstration on Stockholm’s Medborgarplatsen Square on Wednesday. Salwan Momika, a 37-year-old Iraqi immigrant, tore pages from the Quran and set them on fire. On that day, Muslims around the world were celebrating Eid al-Adha, one of the two major religious holidays in Islam.
In Sweden, the demonstration’s organizers are under preliminary investigation for inciting discord and violating the ban on setting fires. “The police have the right to investigate whether the burning [of the Quran] is a hate crime,” Momika told the Expressen newspaper. “It’s not a hate crime or incitement against any group; I usually address them as ‘my beloved’ Muslims.” He added that he was planning another such demonstration: “Within ten days, I will burn the Iraqi flag and the Quran in front of the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm.” — TASS
