Riots continue after desecration of the Quran in Sweden

LONDON (AA) – Clashes between the police and rioters in Sweden’s third-largest city Malmo continued on Monday after another incident of desecration of the Muslim holy book, 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, once again on Sunday desecrated 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.

Muslim youth who were angry at the Swedish police for allowing yet another such 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 for trying to prevent Momika from once again setting fire to 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, burnt copies of the Quran in the Swedish cities of Malmo, Norrkoping, Jonkoping, and Stockholm, during Easter last year.

These incidents of desecration 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 Quran is allowed to be burnt repeatedly.

Over 2 billion Muslims all over the world deeply revere the Holy Quran as a divinely bestowed source of guidance and salvation.

Last month, Denmark announced plans to finally make the desecration of religious texts a criminal offense. While manic Islamophobes are audaciously carrying out repeat performances of the heinous action hurting the sentiments of billions of Muslims, Sweden is still considering its legal options that would enable the police to reject permits for such “demonstrations” over national security concerns.