BAGHDAD (Anadolu) – Iraq on Sunday summoned the Swedish charge d’affaires, Hakan Rooth, to protest the burning of a copy of the Muslim holy book of Qu’ran by far-right extremists in Sweden.
On Thursday, Rasmus Paludan, the Danish leader of the far-right Stram Kurs (Hard Line) Party, burned a copy of the Holy Qur’an in southern Linkoping in Sweden, according to media reports.
In a statement, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said it lodged a protest with the Swedish diplomat over the burning of the Muslim holy book.
The ministry warned that the burning “bears grave implications on Sweden’s relations with all Muslims.”
The statement called on the Swedish government to intervene to stop any acts that provoke religious sentiments.
Violent clashes with counter-demonstrators continued in Sweden for the third consecutive day over desecration of the Holy Qur’an, police said on Sunday.
In a statement, police announced that the protesters burnt litter bins, a bus and a car in a series of incidents in the southern city of Malmo overnight.
“The situation calmed down towards 3:00 am (0100 GMT),” police spokeswoman Kim Hild told SR public radio.
She said no officers were hurt, but a number of members of the public were slightly injured.
Nearly 20 complaints had been filed, including for vandalism.
Similar clashes were held in recent days in protest at the blasphemous act.
On Saturday, fierce clashes broke out between police and protesters in a central Sweden Muslim-dominated area during demonstrations against the move.
The blasphemous act prompted counter-protesters, around 200 people by local media’s estimate, to break into the rally and clash with the members of the far-right party and Swedish police.
And on Friday, nine police officers were injured in similar clashes in Orebro in central Sweden.