• A police officer stands in front of a blazing bus, in southern Swedish city Malmo. AFP
    A police officer stands in front of a blazing bus, in southern Swedish city Malmo. AFP
  • Police detain a driver who drove a car into roadblocks where Rasmus Paludan, leader of Danish far-right political party Hard Line, was holding a demonstration, at Skanegarden, near Malmo. Reuters
    Police detain a driver who drove a car into roadblocks where Rasmus Paludan, leader of Danish far-right political party Hard Line, was holding a demonstration, at Skanegarden, near Malmo. Reuters
  • Protesters set fire to a police minibus at Sveaparken, Orebro, south-central Sweden. Rasmus Paludan has been touring the country and at each gathering has attempted to burn a Quran. AP
    Protesters set fire to a police minibus at Sveaparken, Orebro, south-central Sweden. Rasmus Paludan has been touring the country and at each gathering has attempted to burn a Quran. AP
  • Police vehicles next to a burning barricade in Malmo. AP
    Police vehicles next to a burning barricade in Malmo. AP
  • Protesters block a road with a bonfire in Norrkoping, eastern Sweden. AP
    Protesters block a road with a bonfire in Norrkoping, eastern Sweden. AP
  • Cars are set ablaze in Norrkoping. AP
    Cars are set ablaze in Norrkoping. AP
  • Police arrest a protester in Norrkoping. AFP
    Police arrest a protester in Norrkoping. AFP
  • Riot police prepare to enter a shopping centre during protests in Norrkoping. AFP
    Riot police prepare to enter a shopping centre during protests in Norrkoping. AFP
  • Counter-protesters gather ahead of a demonstration planned by anti-Muslim politician Rasmus Paludan, in Norrkoping. Reuters
    Counter-protesters gather ahead of a demonstration planned by anti-Muslim politician Rasmus Paludan, in Norrkoping. Reuters

UAE summons Swedish envoy over far-right group's threat to burn Quran


  • English
  • Arabic

The UAE on Tuesday summoned the ambassador of Sweden to the UAE over the planned burning of copies of the Quran by extremists.

Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation, told Liselott Andersson of the UAE's protest against the actions of far-right extremists in Sweden.

Three members of the public and more than a dozen police officers were injured when riots broke out over plans by Danish anti-Islam group Stram Kurs to burn copies of the Quran in towns and cities.

The far-right party was eventually forced to abandon its rallies over security concerns, after hundreds of protesters threw stones and set cars on fire at the events.

Ms Al Hashimy said such incidents only lead to further tension "at a time when the world needs to work together to spread the values ​​of tolerance and coexistence and reject hatred and extremism", news agency Wam reported.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International had earlier rejected all practices aimed at destabilising security and breaching moral values.

It said religious symbols must be respected and religions must not be insulted.

Since Thursday, protests have also occurred in Linkoping, south-west of Norrkoping, as well as the capital Stockholm, Malmo, in southern Sweden, south-central city Orebro and southern town Landskrona.

Updated: April 20, 2022, 6:17 AM