The Swedish Foreign Ministry today warned Swedes in Turkey to avoid crowds and demonstrations following the recent Koran burning in Stockholm by a far-right politician last week.

Last week, Turkey suspended talks with Sweden and Finland over their NATO membership bids after Danish far-right party leader Rasmus Paludan decided to burn a copy of the Quran in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm.

Paludan’s actions sparked protests in Muslim countries, including Turkey.

“Swedes in Turkey are asked to keep abreast of developments and avoid mass gatherings and demonstrations,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“Protests are likely to take place outside the embassy in Ankara and the consulate general in Istanbul in the coming days,” the ministry added.

Following Paludan’s move, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristerson said he supported freedom of speech. “But what is legal is not necessarily right. Burning sacred books is a deeply godless act for many,” he tweeted.

Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO last year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

They need the support of all 30 members of the Alliance. Turkey said Sweden in particular should take a clearer stance on what Ankara calls terrorists – mostly armed Kurds – and the organization it accuses of the 2016 coup attempt in order to support the two countries’ candidacy.

Source: RES