On Wednesday afternoon, Salwan Momika, 36, burned a Koran outside Stockholm’s mosque. Now he is suspected, among other things, of incitement against a ethnic group, at the same time as Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan condemns the burning.
“It is unacceptable to allow these actions under the pretext of freedom of expression,” he writes on Twitter.
A protester tried to throw a stone, was wrestled down twice and later arrested by police. Otherwise, it was relatively calm when Salwan Momika burned a Koran outside the mosque on Södermalm in Stockholm.
– It managed to be dramatic, but other than that there have been no major disturbances. People kept quite calm, says Kristin Stein from Medborgarplatsen.
TV4 News’ reporters on the spot estimated the number of protestors at a couple of hundred, and at times it got loud.
– Shut up! chanted a woman standing by the picket fence.
Another woman held up a cross and said a prayer during the burning.
Suspected of incitement against a group of people
The police drew up a total of three police reports after the Koran burning. Two of the reports are directed at Salwan Momika as he is suspected of incitement against a ethnic group and violation of the fire ban.
The man who tried to throw a stone is suspected of attempted assault. Police say the man was turned away from the scene but later returned and threw a rock. He has been taken to the police station.
The police state that the public gathering was otherwise carried out without any disturbances.
Turkey’s foreign minister condemns
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reacts strongly to today’s Koran burning on Södermalm in Stockholm. On Twitter, he writes that he condemns the actions.
“It is unacceptable to allow these actions under the pretext of freedom of expression,” he writes.
“To tolerate such terrible acts is to be complicit.”