Updated 13:40 | Published 13:19
The man who intended to burn a Torah and a Bible outside Israel’s embassy in Stockholm on Saturday chose not to burn the religious scriptures.
The man instead held a calm demonstration about not burning holy scriptures, according to TT’s photographer on the spot.
– It is against the Koran to burn and I will not burn. No one should do that, said the man.
The man’s planned action has attracted a lot of attention internationally, including in Israel.
Both Israeli President Isaac Herzog and the World Jewish Congress have condemned the action in advance.
“As president of Israel, I condemned the burning of the Koran, which is sacred to Muslims worldwide, and I am now devastated that the same fate awaits the Hebrew Bible, the holy book of the Jewish people,” said President Isaac Herzog, calling the plans an expression for “pure hatred”, according to The Times of Israel.
The World Jewish Congress also described the incident as “hateful”.
The Swedish Jewish Central Council also condemned the plans.
“The Jewish Central Council continues to condemn the abuse of freedom of expression that takes place with the aim of sowing hatred in society. Burning holy books, be they the Koran, the Torah or the New Testament, are hateful acts that we perceive as direct threats to the societies that value them,” the council wrote in a statement.