Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) has made the assessment that “Sweden is in the most serious security situation since the Second World War”. The threat to Sweden risks becoming even greater if Denmark bans Koran burnings, says Social Democrats party leader Magdalena Andersson, who wants Sweden to also try to get a ban.
Magdalena Andersson (S) repeats in this evening’s Aktuellt what she said at a press conference earlier on Wednesday – that Koran burners in Sweden have connections to the Sweden Democrats and are cheered on by the chairman of the justice committee Rickard Jomshof (SD).
Åkesson: It is anti-intellectual to burn books
In Aktuellt, Andersson says that it seems that Sweden Democrats party leader Jimmie Åkesson does not want to do anything about the situation.
– The easiest way to get a calmer situation would be if Jimmie Åkesson could call on sympathizers, members and representatives to stop burning Korans and stop inciting further Koran burnings.
Dishonest argumentation, says Åkesson:
– I am not urging anyone to burn the Koran. On the contrary, I think it’s beer-like. I think it is anti-intellectual to burn books at all. There are much better ways to criticize things that deserve criticism, for example Islam and Islamism.
Investigating membership
Åkesson says that he is not aware of any direct connections between Koran burners and the Sweden Democrats, but that in one case an alleged brokering relationship is being investigated.
– I don’t know if it’s confirmed or not, but it’s clear that you shouldn’t be a member of the Sweden Democrats if you keep going like this.
The Social Democrats’ proposal to try to ban Koran burnings is dismissed by Åkesson, who believes that the party is embarking on “the same slippery slope as the government” when it comes to restrictions on freedom of expression.
Hear more in the clip above, or watch the entire debate in Current.