This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66052670
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Sweden Quran burning sparks anger across Muslim world | Sweden Quran burning sparks anger across Muslim world |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Police intervene as people react to a burning of a copy of the Quran in Stockholm on Wednesday | Police intervene as people react to a burning of a copy of the Quran in Stockholm on Wednesday |
| Several Muslim-majority countries have condemned the burning of a copy of the Quran in Sweden at a protest. | Several Muslim-majority countries have condemned the burning of a copy of the Quran in Sweden at a protest. |
| Salwan Momika, said to be an Iraqi living in Sweden, set fire to a copy of the Muslim text in front of Stockholm's central mosque on Wednesday. | |
| Middle Eastern nations including Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt strongly criticised the burning. | Middle Eastern nations including Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt strongly criticised the burning. |
| And Turkey, a Nato member with a say over whether Sweden gains membership, called it a "despicable act". | And Turkey, a Nato member with a say over whether Sweden gains membership, called it a "despicable act". |
| Turkey - which was also angered by a Quran burning protest earlier this year - said it was "unacceptable" to allow such "anti-Islamic actions" to take place "under the pretext of freedom of expression". | Turkey - which was also angered by a Quran burning protest earlier this year - said it was "unacceptable" to allow such "anti-Islamic actions" to take place "under the pretext of freedom of expression". |
| Muslims consider the Quran the sacred word of God and view any intentional damage or show of disrespect towards it as deeply offensive. | Muslims consider the Quran the sacred word of God and view any intentional damage or show of disrespect towards it as deeply offensive. |
| The Quran burning on Wednesday took place as Muslims around the world celebrated the first day of Eid al-Adha, one of the most important festivals in the Muslim calendar. | The Quran burning on Wednesday took place as Muslims around the world celebrated the first day of Eid al-Adha, one of the most important festivals in the Muslim calendar. |
| What is the difference between Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha? | |
| Swedish police had given Mr Momika a permit for the protest, in accordance with free-speech laws. But later police said the incident was being investigated for incitement of hatred. | Swedish police had given Mr Momika a permit for the protest, in accordance with free-speech laws. But later police said the incident was being investigated for incitement of hatred. |
| The protest sparked anger among other nations too. | The protest sparked anger among other nations too. |
| Morocco and Jordan have recalled their ambassadors to Stockholm, and Morocco has also summoned Sweden's charge d'affaires in Rabat. | |
| Iraq said the incident was "a reflection of a hateful aggressive spirit that has nothing to do with freedom of expression." | Iraq said the incident was "a reflection of a hateful aggressive spirit that has nothing to do with freedom of expression." |
| Iran echoed Iraq's criticism, calling the act of burning the Quran "provocative" and "unacceptable", while Egypt described it as a "shameful" act which was especially provocative as Muslims mark Eid al-Adha. | Iran echoed Iraq's criticism, calling the act of burning the Quran "provocative" and "unacceptable", while Egypt described it as a "shameful" act which was especially provocative as Muslims mark Eid al-Adha. |
| Saudi Arabia - the destination of around 1.8m worshippers on the annual Hajj pilgrimage this week - said "these hateful and repeated acts cannot be accepted with any justification." | Saudi Arabia - the destination of around 1.8m worshippers on the annual Hajj pilgrimage this week - said "these hateful and repeated acts cannot be accepted with any justification." |
| Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the Quran burning was "legal but not appropriate". | Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the Quran burning was "legal but not appropriate". |
| Plans to burn copies of the Quran have sparked riots in Sweden in recent months. | Plans to burn copies of the Quran have sparked riots in Sweden in recent months. |
| Police had rejected similar protest applications recently, but courts then ruled that they should be allowed on freedom of expression grounds. | Police had rejected similar protest applications recently, but courts then ruled that they should be allowed on freedom of expression grounds. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Turkey | Turkey |
| Egypt | Egypt |
| Sweden | Sweden |
| Iran | Iran |
| Nato | Nato |
| Iraq | Iraq |
| Saudi Arabia | Saudi Arabia |
| Morocco | Morocco |
| Islam | Islam |