Swedes criticize recent provocations against Türkiye, Islam

STOCKHOLM

Swedish citizens are voicing discomfort with recent provocations against Türkiye and Islam in their country, describing the burning of the Quran, the Muslim holy book, as a “shameful” hate crime.

Ingrid Kolobaric, a Croatian who lives in Sweden, told Anadolu that Sweden "should learn to respect" the Turkish president before trying to be "cute" with Ankara about its bid to join the NATO military alliance.

"Sweden needs to respect all people regardless of their religious belief, race, appearance, and color. Now is the time. It's time for Sweden to learn to respect all people," Kolobaric said.

In addition to allowing Quran burnings, earlier this month Swedish authorities did nothing to stop the hanging in effigy of the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

On the Quran burning in Sweden by Rasmus Paludan, a far-right extremist, Kolobaric underlined that the burning of holy books should be stopped.

Insulting other faiths, views 'unacceptable'

Saying he thinks there would be pluses and minuses to Sweden joining NATO – a goal it set after the start of Russia’s war on Ukraine last February – Liam Tiks said: "I don't think Paludan's burning of the Quran is right.

"It should be considered a hate crime," Tiks added.

Another Swede, Izabella Schultzberg, called the burning of the Quran "very shameful and bad."

"This should be banned," Schultzberg said. "Insulting another religion and view is unacceptable."

Citing how Türkiye has said if it wants to join NATO, Sweden must prove its firm opposition to terrorism – including to the terrorist YPG/PKK, which has threatened tens of thousands of people in Türkiye and along its borders – Björn Gillsbro said Paludan's burning of the Quran had stiffened Turkish resistance.

He added: "Sweden definitely doesn’t need to be a member of NATO. We already have military cooperation with European Union countries and NATO countries."

"Paludan also needs to stop provoking the public," he added.

Ebba Liedstrom, for her part, said that Paludan's provocation of burning the Quran was "shameful and a childish act to agitate the people."

Paludan, a Danish-Swedish politician, drew global condemnation after torching copies of the Quran outside a mosque in Copenhagen and the Turkish Embassy in the capital Stockholm this month.

Türkiye has led the chorus of anger from the Muslim world, criticizing Danish and Swedish authorities for allowing an “Islam-hating charlatan” to carry out an act that “clearly constitutes a hate crime.”