A man intends to burn a Torah and a Bible outside the Israeli embassy in Stockholm on Saturday after burning several pages from a copy of the Koran outside the Swedish capital’s Grand Mosque last month on the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, in a “gathering” authorized by police, Swedish radio station Sveriges reported. , which is quoted by News.ro.

Salvan Momika, one of the two organizers of the Stockholm protestPhoto: Jonathan Nakstrand / AFP / Profimedia Images

“A person who asked to organize a public gathering to burn Torahs and Bibles at the Israeli embassy has been granted permission,” a local radio station reported.

The application was submitted by a 30-year-old man.

According to Stockholm Police Chief Matthias Siegfrisson, he announced at the time of the request that he was responding to the burning of the Koran in a “symbolic declaration of freedom of speech.”

Israel’s ambassador to Sweden, Ziv Nevo Kuhlman, condemned the upcoming act in a message posted on Twitter.

“I categorically condemn the burning of holy books of any religion, as it is an act of hatred and disrespect that has nothing to do with freedom of expression,” he condemned.

Israel, in turn, “condemned” this permission through Foreign Minister Lior Hayat.

“We ask the Swedish authorities to prevent the burning of sacred books,” he announced.

Condemnation around the world after the burning of the Koran

The burning of the Koran caused a rapid reaction at the international and religious level.

Pope Francis said on July 3 that he was “outraged and disgusted” by this act.

“Any book considered sacred by its authors should be respected out of respect for those who believe in it. (…) I am outraged and disgusted by these actions,” the sovereign pontiff told Al Ittihad newspaper from the United Arab Emirates.

The Swedish government, for its part, condemned the “Islamophobic” act, but emphasized the fact that this incident falls within the framework of freedom of speech protected by the Constitution.

This new episode could reignite religious tensions.

Read also:

  • New action with the burning of the Koran in Stockholm
  • Burnt Koran: several Iraqis entered the Swedish embassy in Baghdad / Condemnation in the Muslim world
  • Sweden: The man who burned pages of the Koran was preparing to do it again
  • The UN has voted that burning the Koran is not freedom of expression and is calling for the act to be criminalized