Islamophobic incidents could damage Sweden’s image, says foreign minister

STOCKHOLM (AA): Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom has said acts of Islamophobes “could turn our country’s good image into a bad one.”

He was speaking to local daily Sydsvenska about the burning of the Holy Quran in Stockholm last week.

He said the Swedish state is struggling to save its reputation.

“Sweden’s good image will change in the long run if it continues to be portrayed as Islamophobic. It is difficult to predict what the consequences will be in the process of Sweden’s NATO membership approval. Defense is also important,” the foreign minister said, drawing attention to Turkiye’s reservations in ratifying Sweden’s accession to NATO.

The Swedish Foreign Ministry condemned on Sunday the incident of June 28, which took place under the protection of Swedish security forces. State laws do not recognize such instances as crimes or violations, which emboldens right wing Islamophobes.

The ministry said: “The Swedish government understands that the Islamophobic actions of individuals in the demonstrations in the country can be offensive to Muslims. We strongly condemn these actions that do not reflect the views of the Swedish government in any way.

“Racism, xenophobia and their related intolerance have no place in Sweden or Europe,” the ministry said, describing the incident as a “clear provocation”.

The incident took place outside the Stockholm Central Mosque and drew condemnation from across the world, including from Iranian authorities.

“In Sweden, freedom of expression enjoys strong protection. However, naturally this does not mean that the Government supports every opinion that is expressed. Public gatherings that are entirely legal can also be polarizing and offensive,” the ministry said.