Quran-burning protest permission in Sweden sparks fury in Islamic world

Tensions are escalating between Turkey and Sweden after Swedish authorities permitted a controversial Quran burning protest outside Stockholm’s main mosque.

This decision has triggered widespread anger across the Islamic world, notably from Turkey, which holds the power to approve or deny Sweden’s long-standing application to join NATO.

Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, expressed strong disapproval of the protest, especially as it took place on the first day of Eid al-Adha. He emphasized that it was unacceptable for Sweden to allow such anti-Islam protests under the guise of freedom of expression. This condemnation from Turkey, which has been holding up Sweden’s NATO membership application since last year, threatens to further complicate Stockholm’s NATO aspirations.

Islamic rage engulfs Sweden as Quran burning gets green light. Photo courtesy of Essam Hussein from Pixabay.

Historically, relations between the two nations have been fraught. Earlier this year, an inquiry was launched in Turkey when an effigy of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was burnt by Kurdish elements. Erdogan has been vocal about his displeasure with Sweden for providing refuge to what he describes as Kurdish ‘terrorists’. Tensions were further heightened when Nordic countries implemented an arms embargo on Turkey following its intervention in the Syrian conflict in 2019.

Erdogan has previously stated in the country’s parliament that the final decision on NATO membership lies with the Turkish parliament and will be heavily influenced by whether promises made by Sweden and Finland are upheld. Finland, it should be noted, secured NATO membership approval in April this year.

The urgency for Sweden to join NATO was sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February last year. Despite submitting its official application in May, all 30 NATO allies must sign the ratification document for membership to be granted. Currently, Turkey and Hungary remain the only countries that haven’t signed.

After Swedish police initially denied permission for the Quran burning on the grounds that such protests would make Sweden a high-priority target for attacks, the protestors appealed to the courts. The appeals court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to suggest that the protest posed an immediate threat to order and security.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s response to the court’s decision was measured, stating that while the protest was legal, it was not appropriate, and urged for calm consideration of Sweden’s long-term interests.