Another incident of Quran desecration outside the Swedish Royal Palace in the capital city of Stockholm, amidst heightened police presence was reported on Wednesday.
The occurrence, which transpired on Monday, marked the second time within a few weeks that individuals engaged in such an act.
Salwan Momika, 37, and Salwan Najem, 48, were reported to be the individuals involved.
The Iraqi refugee, Momika, has been linked to multiple similar incidents, with the most recent prior occurrence being on July 31, when he and an accomplice desecrated the Holy Quran outside the Swedish parliament.
Notably, these actions fall under Sweden’s freedom of speech laws, permitting such expressions.
The incident unfolded at Mynttorget, a central square encompassed by government edifices and the palace.
The event was marked by a theatrical and familiar desecration of the Quran, accompanied by the use of a megaphone to provoke counter protesters.
However, counter protesters responded by using their own megaphones, drowning out the actions of Momika and Najem.
Among the onlookers, a group donning firefighter-themed attire stood out, advocating against hate and distributing plastic firefighter hats while encouraging participation through megaphones.
Reports indicate that a group of Swedish activists confronted the perpetrators, urging them to cease their provocative actions. One of the activists was arrested by the police, causing further contention.
The same duo previously staged a similar protest outside Iraq’s embassy in Stockholm on July 20, also involving the desecration of the Quran.
These incidents have elicited strong reactions across the Muslim world, prompting several nations, including Pakistan, to denounce the actions on international platforms.
Reacting to the most recent incident, former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif conveyed his deep concern, denouncing the act as highly disturbing. In a social media post on X (formerly Twitter), he expressed his distress over the recurring nature of such incidents and perceived sinister intentions behind them. He criticized the Swedish government for not taking more stringent measures to prevent these actions, asserting that mere expressions of regret and condemnation were inadequate.
Sharif underscored the broader implications of such desecration, highlighting that they tarnish interfaith harmony, which is crucial for global stability and understanding.
