The Swedish police on Wednesday refused permission for a further burning of the Quran, Islam’s holy book, to take place in the capital, Stockholm, following the provocative incident in January that received global condemnation.
So-called protests are rarely banned by Swedish police as they are considered a right under "freedom of assembly," but police cited the risk that the protest could provoke retaliatory attacks or attacks against Swedish interests.
The demonstration permit request was made by a small, little-known Swedish association, "Apallarkerna," and was aimed at protesting against NATO membership, and like the action staged by far-right extremist Rasmus Paludan, would involve the burning of a Quran in front of Türkiye’s Stockholm Embassy.
"The burning of the Quran outside Türkiye Embassy in January 2023 can be determined to have increased threats against both the Swedish society at large, but also against Sweden, Swedish interests abroad and Swedes abroad," the police decision, read by Agence France-Presse (AFP), said.
"Sweden has become a higher priority target for attacks," it continued.
The Quran burning, carried out by Paludan behind the protection of police officers and in front of cameras, spurred anti-Swedish demonstrations in several Muslim countries, as well as global condemnation.
