Police issue permit for Quran burning protest in Sweden

Swedish police said they had granted a permit for a protest outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm, with media reporting the organisers planned to burn the Muslim holy book.

The protest, scheduled for July 20, comes just weeks after a man set fire to pages of the Quran outside Stockholm’s main mosque, leading to widespread outrage and condemnations around the world.

Stockholm police told Agence France-Presse they granted a permit for a “public gathering” outside the Iraqi embassy, but did not wish to give further comments on what the protesters were planning.

A ‘rally against the burning of the Quran’ is to take place outside Blackburn Town Hall this weekend. The peaceful protest is in response to the burning of the religious text in Sweden.

Organisers of the Blackburn protest said they wanted ‘Muslims to unite’ against the burning of the Quran and help people reconnect with the book.

The event is due to take place on Sunday, July 23, from 12pm and will include speeches by ‘prominent scholars’.