Swedish police try to silence man protesting Quran desecration

STOCKHOLM

Plainclothes police attempted Thursday to silence a man who was protesting against Iraqi-born refugee Salwan Momika's desecration of the Quran in the Swedish capital Stockholm.

Police intervened as Kais Tunisia was loudly responding to Momika's words while burning the Muslim holy book in front of the Stockholm Mosque. Tunisia defended his response, saying it was freedom of expression.

"Momika insults the Quran. He insults us. When we respond, the police immediately warn us not to raise our voice,” Tunisia told Anadolu.

Stressing that the attitude of the police surprised him, he said: "They brought the provocateur in front of our mosque and they gave him a megaphone. We heard his insults…When we reacted to this, we met with the reaction of the police. I condemn this too.”

Momika, who carried out the act in front of the Stockholm Mosque in Medborgarplatsen under extensive police protection, threw the Quran on the ground, stepped on it, uttered insulting words against Islam and set it on fire, despite the reaction of the people around.

Momika left the scene in an armored police vehicle and approximately 20 police vehicles, 10 of them armored, and 100 police officers escorted them.

Recent months have seen repeated acts of Quran burning and desecration by Islamophobic figures or groups, especially in northern European and Nordic countries.​​​​​​​

Momika targeted the Quran on Aug. 14 in the capital Stockholm in yet another desecration of the Muslim holy book.

Assisted by Salwan Najem, also of Iraqi origin, he perpetrated the attack once more on Aug. 18 under police control in front of the Iranian Embassy in Stockholm.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar