Sweden has authorised a protest in front of the Israeli embassy which may involve the burning of sacred Jewish scripture Torahs and Bibles. Sweden’s national broadcaster Sveriges Radio reported that a person has sought permission to hold a protest near the Israeli embassy, which was later granted by Swedish authorities.
Local police said a man in his 30s applied to hold a demonstration and burn the books outside the Israeli embassy on July 15 as “a symbolic gathering for the sake of freedom of speech.”
European Jewish Congress blasts Sweden
The move has drawn harsh criticism from the Jewish community worldwide. The European Jewish Congress (EJC) said in a press release on Friday they condemned the move by Sweden. “Provocative, racist, antisemitic and sickening acts such as these have no place in any civilised society,” EJC president Ariel Muzicant was quoted as saying by CNN.
He further said that such actions were a disgrace to Sweden or any other democratic nation, adding, “Stamping on the deepest religious and cultural sensibilities of people is the clearest expression possible to send a message that minorities are unwelcome and unrespected.”
Israel condemns the move
Israel also condemned the approval by Swedish authorities to allow the protestor to burn the holy books in front of its embassy in Stockholm by saying the move was tantamount to a “hate crime.”
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Israeli President Isaac Herzog in a tweet criticised the move. He wrote, “I unequivocally condemn the permission granted in Sweden to burn holy books. As the President of Israel, I condemned the burning of the Quran, sacred to Muslims world over, and I am now heartbroken that the same fate awaits a Jewish Bible, the eternal book of the Jewish people.”
Quran burning incident
The new controversy in Sweden comes just weeks after the Quran-burning incident in Stockholm which took the Muslim world by shock. In late June, a Swedish citizen of Iraqi descent set fire to a copy of the Quran, the holy book of Islam, outside a mosque in Stockholm, Sweden. This incident sparked violent protests at the Swedish embassy in Baghdad.
The Swedish police explained that allowing this protest was based on the principle of freedom of speech, as it is a protected right. A police permit, obtained by CNN last month, stated that, according to current laws, the potential security risks and consequences associated with a Quran burning were not sufficient grounds to reject the application for the demonstration.
