Row between Iraq and Sweden escalates over burning of Quran

By Linda Bordoni

The Swedish Foreign Minister condemned the attack on his embassy in the Iraqi capital describing it as unacceptable, as footage showed hundreds of demonstrators storming the main gates of the diplomatic headquarters on Thursday in response to what they claim amounts to the sanctioning of another planned burning of the Quran by police in Stockholm.

They were dispersed by Iraqi security forces while several journalists present at the scene were detained, and at least one was beaten, according to multiple organizations.

Threat to sever diplomatic ties

Swedish police say they only grant permits for people to hold public gatherings and not for the activities conducted during them, but heated words have been exchanged between Swedish and Iraqi authorities over the protests, as Baghdad threatened to sever diplomatic ties with Stockholm over Quran-burning demonstrations it claims are sanctioned by the state.

The planned protest in Stockholm took place outside the Iraqi embassy. It was organized by Salwan Momika, an Iraqi national in Sweden who burned a copy of the Quran outside a mosque in Stockholm last month during the Muslim holiday of Eid-al-Adha.

Pope's condemnation

The action sparked outrage in Iraq and around the world, and Pope Francis has condemned the Quran burning in Sweden saying that no holy book should be desecrated.

In an interview with an Emirati newspaper just days after the burning of Islam’s holy book, he said he felt “angry and disgusted at these actions and noted that “Any book considered holy should be respected to respect those who believe in it.”

Ultimately no Qurans were burned during Thursday’s protest, but some protesters were seen kicking and partially destroying a Quran, and Momika stepping on a Quran and polishing his shoes with a picture of the Iraqi flag.

In the wake of the first known incident in Sweden, Muslim countries backed a UN resolution condemning the burning of the Quran as a religious hate act, despite warnings from several nations the text might restrict freedom of speech.