Stockholm: Swedish police have granted a permit for a protest outside parliament on Monday in which the organisers plan to desecrate the Holy Quran, according to local media. The protesters told the media they wanted to see the holy book banned in Sweden.
“I will burn it many times, until you ban it,” organiser Salwan Najem told Expressen newspaper.
Najem had joined Iraqi refugee Salwan Momika at two previous such protests in Stockholm — outside the city’s main mosque and later outside Iraq’s embassy,
The protest was scheduled for 1pm (1100 GMT) on Monday, according to the police permit.
Sweden has seen its diplomatic relations with several Middle Eastern nations strained over previous protests involving the Holy Quran’s desecrations.
AFP requested a copy of the application and the permit from the police, but did not immediately get a response.
Swedish police have previously stressed they only grant permits for people to hold public gatherings and not for the activities conducted during the events. In late June, Momika, 37, set pages of the Holy Quran alight outside Stockholm’s main mosque. –Agencies
