Riots continue after Quran burning in Sweden

By Leila Nezirevic

LONDON (AA) – Clashes between the police and rioters in Sweden’s third-largest city Malmo continued Monday after another Quran-burning protest, according to the Swedish police.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said at a press conference that the events in Malmo were terrible.

"These are part of the waves of violence in Sweden and they are terrible events. The government will fight these events to the end," Kristersson said.

Riots erupted when Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee living in Stockholm, on Sunday burned a copy of the Quran in Malmo’s immigrant Rosengard neighborhood, which has witnessed similar clashes in the past.

Police claimed that rocks were thrown at them while dozens of cars were set on fire, including in an underground garage.

This morning, Muslim youth who were angry at the Swedish police for allowing yet another Quran-burning incident to take place in the Nordic country also set fire to tires and debris in the Rosengard neighborhood, according to the local media.

The police also said that some protesters threw electric scooters, bicycles, and barriers which in their opinion cannot be tolerated.

“I understand that a public gathering like this arouses strong emotions, but we cannot tolerate disturbances and violent expressions like those we saw on Sunday afternoon," stated police officer Petra Stenkula.

“It is extremely regrettable to once again see violence and vandalism at Rosengard,” she added.

She emphasized that most of those who were present did not participate in the riots.

About 15 people were arrested on Sunday while trying to prevent Momika from again burning a copy of the Muslim holy book in the country under full police protection.

A number of individuals have been sentenced to several years in prison when they expressed their anger in the Swedish streets after Swedish-Danish politician Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the far-right Stram Kurs (Hard Line) Party, had burnt copies of the Quran in the Swedish cities of Malmo, Norrkoping, Jonkoping, and Stockholm, during Easter last year.

The Quran burnings in Sweden and Denmark under the pretext of free speech have sparked angry protests in Muslim countries, including attacks on diplomatic missions.

The Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) last month called on its member states to take appropriate political and economic measures against Sweden and other countries where the Muslim holy book is allowed to be burnt.

Last month, Denmark announced plans to make burning religious texts a criminal offense while Sweden is still considering its legal options that would enable police to reject permits for demonstrations over national security concerns.