By Sweden is contemplating changes to its Public Order Act that would grant the police the authority to refuse permission for actions like burning the Holy Quran, but only if these actions pose a genuine threat to national security.
This move comes in the wake of Sweden raising its terrorism alert to the second-highest level. The decision to heighten the alert level was made in response to incidents such as the burning of the Holy Quran and other actions targeting Islam’s most sacred text, which had deeply upset the Muslim community.
It’s crucial to note that any potential restrictions would only apply to serious and well-founded threats, not vague or general concerns. The proposed changes could also empower the police to relocate protests or disband them in certain cases.
Recent months have witnessed an individual of Iraqi descent in Sweden damaging multiple copies of the Holy Quran, raising concerns about the need for legal measures to address such actions.
However, the government’s proposal to appoint a commission to investigate these changes has met with skepticism from various political parties, including the Sweden Democrats, a party known for its anti-immigration stance.
Sweden’s robust freedom of speech laws protect insults directed at public figures or religions. The government has no intention of altering these laws. Nonetheless, Minister of Justice Gunnar Strommer has expressed the idea of empowering the police to intervene in cases like Quran burnings.
These developments also raise questions about whether Quran burning should be classified as hate speech. Some argue that it constitutes incitement against Muslims, making it a form of hate speech, while others believe such actions target the religion of Islam itself, and criticism of religion should fall under the umbrella of freedom of speech, even if it’s considered offensive.
To resolve this complex issue, Swedish police have initiated preliminary hate crime charges against an individual who burned the Quran outside a mosque in Stockholm in June and repeated the act recently. The decision to formally charge this individual now rests with prosecutors.
In light of these events, Sweden’s Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom has confirmed increased security measures at embassies and other missions. While specific details remain undisclosed for security reasons, Billstrom emphasized the utmost priority placed on the safety of Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff, including diplomats and their families, as well as local staff members.
In summary, Sweden is deliberating changes to its laws that could restrict actions like Quran burning, but only if they are deemed serious threats to national security. These proposed changes have sparked a broader debate on the boundaries of free speech and hate speech in the country.
