Three persons were injured as protesters clashed with police in Sweden after right-wing extremists burned the Quran, leading to a riot-like situation in several towns over the Easter weekend.

Protesters were hit by police bullets in Norrkoping city and were taken to a hospital for treatment. “Three people seem to have been hit by ricochets and are now being cared for in hospital. All three injured are arrested on suspicion of crime,” authorities said.

Riots erupted in several parts of Sweden following demonstrations organised by Rasmus Paludan, leader of the Danish far-right political party Stram Kurs or Hard Line. The extremist leader is reportedly known for his anti-Islam acts and had permission to hold a series of demonstrations across Sweden during the weekend.

Swedish authorities said they had fired “warning shots” during the riot to disperse protesters angry about demonstrations over the past several days. Several counter-protests planned against the demonstrations by Mr Paludan turned violent after he set fire to a copy of the Quran on Friday.

Kim Hild, spokeswoman for police in southern Sweden, had said on Saturday that the police would not revoke permission for the demonstration targetting religious minorities because the threshold for doing that is very high in Sweden as the Nordic country values free speech.

The right of the protesters “to demonstrate and speak out weighs enormously heavily and it takes an incredible amount for this to be ignored”, Ms Hild told Swedish news agency TT.

During the rally on Saturday, vehicles, including buses and cars were set on fire in the southern city of Malmo. Counter-protesters threw stones at the right-wing demonstrators, and the police reportedly used pepper spray to disperse them.

People burn branches to block a road during a riot in Norrkoping, Sweden on 17 April

(Stefan Jerrevang/TT News Agency via AP)

At least 16 police officers were injured during the weekend-long unrest in Linkoping, Norrkoping, and the suburbs of capital Stockholm.

The right-wing leader was hit by a stone on his leg, local media reported.

Videos and photographs from Orebro showed police cars set ablaze and protesters throwing stones and other objects at officers in riot gear.

In the southern city of Landskrona, hundreds of mostly young people threw stones and set cars, tires and dustbins on fire.

Mr Paludan and his party, which runs on anti-immigration and anti-Islamic agenda, had planned a demonstration in Norrkoping on Sunday but he reportedly never showed up.

He announced on the party’s Facebook page that he decided to cancel Sunday’s demonstrations in the two locations as the Swedish authorities in the region have “shown that they are completely incapable of protecting themselves and me”.

He added: “If I was seriously injured or killed due to the inadequacy of the police authority, then it would be very sad for Swedes, Danes and other northerners.”

“We have seen violent riots before. But this is something else,” Anders Thornberg, Sweden’s national police chief, told BBC News.


https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/sweden-quran-burning-unrest-rasmus-paludan-b2059918.html?utm_content=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1650267620

This move by the Swedish government is against religious freedom

Tasmus is a Hero. Islam is a cancer that stops a country from progressing. Especially countries with sizeable amount of non Muslim. Don't give them breathing space today so that they won't terrorize you tomorrow

The worst thing that befell West Africa is Islam.

THE SWEDES MADE THE GREATEST MISTAKE OF THEIR LIFE BY ALLOWING THESE SO CALLED ISLAMIC JIHADIST POSSING AS IMMIGRANT TO INVADE THEIR COUNTRY.

SOON THEY WILL DECLARE SHARIA ON TOP UNA HEAD!

UNA GO HEAR NWEE FOR THEIR HANDS!


let me tell you something that may shock you.

That man that burn that koran may actually be an Islamic agent posing to be a christian- while the true agenda is to establish Islamic presence in the Swedish law.

After the riots, they will ask for sharia to protect Muslims in Sweden.

Northernblood5:
Tasmus is a Hero. Islam is a cancer that stops a country from progressing. Especially countries with sizeable amount of non Muslim. Don't give them breathing space today so that they won't terrorize you tomorrow

The worst thing that befell West Africa is Islam.

Explain the wealth and stability of countries like the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain etc.

Then explain the constant wars and unrest in Europe stretching back thousands of years.

all because of religion