Swedish Prime Minister ‘extremely worried’ as more apply to burn Qur’an

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Swedish Prime Minister ‘extremely worried’ as more apply to burn Qur’an
Swedish Prime Minister

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed deep concern over potential consequences if more demonstrations involving the desecration of the Qur'an take place in the country. Amid growing Muslim anger over attacks on Islam's holy book in Sweden and , there are worries about the impact on international relations.

Kristersson stated that further requests have been submitted to the police for permission to hold protests involving Qur'an desecration, and if granted, there is a heightened risk of serious incidents occurring.

A recent incident of storming and setting fire to Sweden's embassy in Baghdad on July 20 by protesters outraged by a planned Qur'an burning has added to the tensions.

The Swedish security service, SAPO, has maintained the threat level at 3 during the crisis, signalling an “elevated threat,” and there have been accusations that other countries, like , are trying to manipulate the situation to harm Sweden's interests and its NATO membership bid.

Charlotte von Essen, a representative, mentioned that Sweden's image has shifted from being seen as a tolerant country to being viewed as anti-Islamic.

Both and Sweden have condemned the burning of the Qur'an but cite the protection of free speech as the reason for not being able to prevent such incidents.

The Swedish government faces the challenging task of defending the freedom of speech while avoiding potential offence to the Muslim community.

The anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, though not officially part of the government, play a crucial role in the right-of-centre coalition, and their stance on “Islamization” and integration adds further complexities.

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom has engaged in discussions with foreign counterparts and international organizations to address the ongoing crisis, emphasizing that finding a resolution will take time and there are no quick fixes.

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