unsaveSave
expand-left
full screen A Koran is burned during a public gathering at Gustav Adolfs Torg in Malmö in May. Archive image. Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT
The Ordinance Act can be amended so that the police can stop Koran burnings with reference to Sweden’s security.
That assessment is made by the government’s investigators.
Last year’s Koran burnings in Sweden led to violent protests in Muslim countries. Among other things, the Swedish embassy in Baghdad was stormed. At the same time, the terrorist threat against Sweden was judged to increase.
The risks to Sweden’s security and to Swedish interests abroad caused the government to set up an investigation. It would review the possibilities for the police to take Sweden’s security into account when deciding on permits for public gatherings, such as demonstrations.
The investigator Mattias Larsson now makes the assessment that the rules can be designed so that the police can take Sweden’s security into account, without it contradicting the form of government or European law.
Three suggestions
Three alternative proposals are presented. Nothing is favored over the others.
The first means that the police, if necessary, must be allowed to announce conditions regarding time or place or completely refuse permission in cases where the gathering is likely to entail a tangible danger of crime in Sweden that threatens the country’s security. For example acts of terrorism. Or crime that threatens Swedish interests abroad.
The second alternative means that the police, with reference to Sweden’s security, will be allowed to decide on conditions other than saying no to permission, time or place. For example, a ban on certain forms of representation at the gathering, such as burning a book.
The third alternative proposal is not to introduce a new possibility for the police to be able to take Sweden’s security into account when decisions on permits are to be made. Instead, the rules are changed so that the police have strengthened opportunities to decide on conditions for the time and place of the gathering.
Effective next year
All three options, however, involve increased opportunities to cancel a public gathering if necessary with regard to life and health in connection with the demonstration being carried out.
The idea is that the changes to the law will enter into force on 1 July 2025.
The government will now send out the proposal for comments from authorities and organisations.