By On Sunday, Swedish police arrested two individuals and detained around 10 others following a violent riot that erupted during a protest involving the burning of the Holy Quran.
The protest had been organized by Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee, whose demonstrations, including the public desecration of the holy book, have sparked outrage across the Middle East. Police acknowledged that some onlookers expressed strong emotions in response to the burning of religious writings.
The situation grew tense as the protest unfolded, and a violent riot occurred at 1:45 p.m. local time. Although the event concluded after the organizer left, a group of individuals remained at the scene. Police detained about 10 people for disturbing public order, and two were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the violent riot.
Local media reported incidents of onlookers throwing rocks at Momika, and videos from the scene showed some attempting to breach the police cordon but being stopped by law enforcement.
The Swedish government has condemned the desecration of the Holy Quran while recognizing the country’s constitutionally protected freedom of speech and assembly laws. This incident is part of a larger debate in Sweden about the boundaries of free speech. Some argue that freedom of speech should not extend to the desecration of religious texts, while others believe such protests fall under constitutional protection.
Sweden’s commitment to preserving freedom of speech is balanced with concerns about potential violence stemming from such protests. The recent violence in Malmo underscores the challenges Sweden faces in maintaining a delicate equilibrium between upholding free speech and safeguarding public order.
In mid-August, Sweden raised its terror alert level to four out of five, citing an increased risk of terrorist attacks. This decision was accompanied by enhanced border controls. In late August, Denmark, which has also witnessed Quran burnings, announced plans to ban such acts. Sweden, meanwhile, is exploring legal avenues to prevent protests involving the burning of religious texts under specific circumstances.
