Torah to Be Burned Near Israeli Embassy in Sweden

The Stockholm police have permitted a demonstration to be organized on Friday, during which the Torah may be burned near the Israeli embassy in Sweden's capital. This was reported by the SVT television channel.

The application for the demonstration explains that the organizer has announced plans to "set the Torah ablaze with a lighter." The event is titled "A Demonstration for the Rights of Children in Sweden, which are Systematically Violated." Four individuals are expected to participate in this action.

Stockholm's police are currently investigating several applications expressing intentions to burn sacred texts. These include plans to burn the Quran near the Iranian embassy, with the organizers aiming for an action similar to the one conducted near a mosque in the capital. Criminal charges have been filed against them for inciting hatred.

According to the television channel, a 50-year-old man has announced plans to organize a demonstration on the island of Riddarholmen in Stockholm, intending to burn the Bible. Additionally, a woman in her 30s has applied to hold a demonstration near the Iranian embassy in the capital, where she reportedly intends to burn religious texts and the Iranian flag.

On June 28, with police permission, 37-year-old Salwan Momika, an Iraqi immigrant, ripped pages from the Quran and burned them at Medborgarplatsen square in central Stockholm. This occurred on the day when Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha, one of the main religious holidays. This action provoked a sharp negative reaction from the population and authorities of Islamic countries, particularly in Arab states. On July 20, during a similar demonstration near the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm, Momika kicked the sacred book but did not burn it. Protesters attacked the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, leading the Iraqi government to decide to expel the kingdom's ambassador.

Earlier, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented that "the Swedish government categorically rejects acts of Islamophobia conducted by individuals in Sweden," emphasizing that these actions "do not reflect the opinion of the Swedish government in any way."