OUR Swedish Police today banned a Quran-burning demonstration after the first such incident in January angered them. Turkey and stopped Sweden’s candidacy for membership in NATO.

Citing the risk of attack and the security implications for Sweden following this burning of the Koran, the Nordic country’s police this time refused to give permission to the organizers who planned to mobilize outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, as decided. knowledge of the French agency.

“The burning of the Koran near the Turkish Embassy in January 2023 was a threat to both Swedish society and Sweden, the interests of Sweden abroad and Swedes abroad,” the ministry stressed. “Sweden has become a more favored target for attacks,” he added.

The request for permission was submitted by a small, unknown Swedish organization, Apallarkerna, in protest of joining NATO.

In late January, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Sweden, already accused by Ankara of harboring Kurdish “terrorists”, that it could no longer count on Ankara’s “support” after far-right activist Rasmus Paludan burned a copy of the Quran in Stockholm. This action, which took place under police protection and in front of cameras, caused a series of protests in Muslim countries.

At the time, the police gave permission for the demonstration, believing that burning a copy of the Koran was part of the freedom of speech guaranteed by the Constitution.

Since then, negotiations with NATO have been suspended, and Turkey is now trying to cope with the consequences of a devastating earthquake in the southeast.

Swedish intelligence agency Säpo today warned of a growing terrorist threat against Sweden and its interests.

^{Source: APE, AFP, Reuters.}