'Stop provoking': Swedes voice concern over acts against Türkiye, Islam

 

Swedish citizens call out authorities for allowing the burning of the Quran, an act according to them that “clearly constitutes a hate crime".

People set on fire a photograph of far-right activist Rasmus Paludan during a protest (AP) 

Swedish citizens are voicing concerns with recent provocations against Türkiye and Islam in their country, describing the burning of the Quran, the Muslim holy book, as a “shameful” hate crime.

Ingrid Kolobaric, a Croatian who lives in Sweden, told Anadolu that Sweden "should learn to respect" the Turkish president before trying to join the NATO military alliance.

"Sweden needs to respect all people regardless of their religious belief, race, appearance, and colour. Now is the time. It's time for Sweden to learn to respect all people," Kolobaric said.

In addition to allowing Quran burnings, earlier this month Swedish authorities did nothing to stop the hanging of an effigy likened to the image of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

 

On the Quran burning in Sweden by Rasmus Paludan, a far-right extremist, Kolobaric underlined that the burning of holy books should be stopped.

Another Swede, Izabella Schultzberg, called the burning of the Quran "very shameful and bad".

"This should be banned," Schultzberg said. 

"Insulting another religion and view is unacceptable."

Citing how Türkiye has said if it wants to join NATO, Sweden must prove its firm opposition to terrorism – including to the terrorist YPG/PKK, which has threatened tens of thousands of people in Türkiye and along its borders – Bjorn Gillsbro said Paludan's burning of the Quran had stiffened Turkish resistance.

 

In Sweden, where the burning of a copy of Islam's holy book, the Quran, was allowed last week, nearly 4,000 reported hate crimes occurred in 2020, with Muslims targeted the most among other religious groups, according to a report by Sweden's National Crime Prevention Council pic.twitter.com/5bZIRFw0aA

— TRT World (@trtworld) January 26, 2023

 

"Sweden definitely doesn’t need to be a member of NATO. We already have military cooperation with European Union countries and NATO countries," he said.

"Paludan also needs to stop provoking the public," he added.

Ebba Liedstrom said that Paludan's provocation of burning the Quran was "shameful and a childish act to agitate the people".

Paludan, a Danish-Swedish politician, drew global condemnation after torching copies of the Quran outside a mosque in Copenhagen and the Turkish Embassy in the capital Stockholm this month.

Türkiye has led the chorus of anger from the Muslim world, criticising Danish and Swedish authorities for allowing an “Islam-hating charlatan” to carry out an act that “clearly constitutes a hate crime".

Source: TRTWorld and agencies 

Social media is bold. 

Social media is young.

Social media raises questions.

 Social media is not satisfied with an answer.

Social media looks at the big picture.

 Social media is interested in every detail.

social media is curious.

 Social media is free.

Social media is irreplaceable.

But never irrelevant.

Social media is you.

(With input from news agency language)   If you like this story, share it with a friend!   

We are a non-profit organization. Help us financially to keep our journalism free from government and corporate pressure .