Protests against Quran desecration in Sweden
# Protests against Quran desecration in Sweden

On 28 June 2023, Salwan Momika ripped out and set fire to pages of the Quran during a police-protected protest outside the Stockholm Mosque in Sweden, resulting in counter-protests throughout the Islamic world. Momika is a 37-year-old Aramean man who had moved to Sweden in 2018 after having fled Iraq. On 20 July 2023, Momika desecrated the Quran again in Stockholm, resulting in protests and attacks, including arson, against the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad, starting a day before. Iraq also severed all diplomatic and business ties and connections with Sweden in response to the incident. On 22 July, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Sweden had "gone into battle-array for war on the Muslim world".

## Previous incidents

Since 2020, the Danish-Swedish activist and politician Rasmus Paludan planned or orchestrated Quran burnings in multiple Swedish cities. This resulted in numerous riots in Swedish cities against both planned and realized desecrations, notably the 2020 Sweden riots and 2022 Sweden riots, as well as condemnations and diplomatic protests from countries including Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran.

## Incident

Salwan Momika, a 37-year-old Iraqi refugee, appeared behind a line of police officers outside the Stockholm Mosque, holding two Swedish flags while the national anthem Du gamla, du fria played over loudspeakers. Wearing white AirPods and smoking a cigarette, he proceeded to destroy the Quran by tearing it apart and setting it on fire. One counter-protestor attempted to throw something at him and was arrested. Momika, who is campaigning for a ban on the Quran in Sweden, also placed a strip of bacon on the Quran and began stomping on it with his foot. Another man accompanying him addressed the crowd using a megaphone.

## Protests

Demonstrations were held in response to the desecration of the Quran in Sweden. Two separate protests took place outside the Karachi Press Club on 2 July 2023, condemning the burning. In Islamabad, Pakistan, police officers prevented supporters of the religious group Jamaat-e-Islami from marching towards the Swedish Embassy during a rally.

In Iraq, on 29 June, protesters stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad and briefly entered the building. On 19 July, after another planned Quran-burning, the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad was stormed and set aflame by protesters while Iraq asked the Swedish Ambassador to leave Iraqi soil and severing ties with Sweden and banning Swedish businesses in Iraq.

In response to the desecrations, the Iranian militia Ashab al-Kahf, which is also active in Baghdad, issued threats on Telegram urging followers to "seek out Swedish people" as targets and to attack Swedish targets.

## Reactions

Officials from various countries and organizations have expressed their condemnation to the incident, including Sweden, the European Union, the United Nations, and the Pope.

* Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan strongly criticized Sweden for allowing the incident to occur, stating that Ankara will not tolerate any policy of provocation or threat. "We will teach the arrogant Western people that it is not freedom of expression to insult the sacred values of Muslims," he said. In late July 2023, Turkey issued an official arrest order against Rasmus Paludan and nine others for having been part of the Quran desecrations.
* Morocco took further action by recalling its ambassador to Sweden for an indefinite period.
* The United States expressed its disapproval of the burning but also stated that granting permission for the demonstration supported freedom of expression.
* Supreme leader Khamenei demanded death penalty. An Iranian Ministry of intelligence report on 10th July alleged that Momika was affiliated with Mossad since 2019.
* The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan suspended all Swedish activities in Afghanistan, which included Swedish aid worker groups, and said that the ban would remain active until Sweden apologized for their actions.
* On 20 July, Iraq expelled the Swedish ambassador in response to another planned Quran burning in Stockholm.
