Authorities in full swing: There is hatred towards Sweden

Authorities at full speed after protests: Hatred of Sweden  

Of:  

John Granlund  

Published: Less than 2 hours ago 

NEWS  

The Koran burning outside the Turkish embassy is having more and more consequences with global demonstrations against Sweden.  

According to information given to Aftonbladet, the authorities and the government are at full throttle for the protests to spread and worsen. 

- There is great outrage and expressions of hatred towards Sweden, says Mikael Tofvesson, operational manager at the Agency for Psychological Defense.

- There is great outrage and expressions of hatred towards Sweden, says Mikael Tofvesson, operational manager at the Agency for Psychological Defense.  

Violent demonstrations and the burning of Swedish flags in Turkey have spread to several countries such as Pakistan and Iraq in the past 24 hours. 

At the same time, the influential Muslim institution al-Azhar University in Cairo is calling for a "global boycott" of Swedish goods after Danish right-wing provocateur Rasmus Paludan set fire to a Koran outside the Turkish embassy.  

"Great outrage"  

According to information to Aftonbladet, there is concern within both the government and the Foreign Ministry as well as the majority of security agencies that the situation will worsen further. 

- Developments are followed very carefully and security work for seconded personnel is a particular priority.  

There is nervousness about whether it should escalate or settle down, says a Foreign Ministry source. At the Agency for Psychological Defense, hate against Sweden is monitored 24 hours a day online by specially trained staff. 

- We follow this in order to be prepared to act if it steps into our area of responsibility and undue influence of information directed at Sweden begins to be carried out, that disinformation and misdirection are spread and it has a greater effect, says operational manager Mikael Tofvesson. 

A theme that has spread online in recent days is calls for a boycott of Swedish goods, MPF states. 

- There is a great deal of outrage and expressions of hatred towards Sweden and an increased number of reactions where boycotts are called for and where hatred and a threatening atmosphere is directed towards Sweden and Swedes, says Mikael Tofvesson. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Stockholm. Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT  

Protests in Istanbul after Paludan burned the Koran. Photo: Francisco Seco/AP 

Growing reactions  

He states that anger towards Sweden is not undue influence, but the authority is following developments. 

- During yesterday it escalated a lot, so the reactions have grown.  

Developments are also being monitored at the Security Police and the terrorist threat level remains at an unchanged third on the five-point scale, which means that acts of terrorism "may occur".  

- We from the Security Police naturally follow developments and we do so because we know that events in the outside world can affect the security situation in Sweden both in the short and long term. And we also know that events in the outside world can affect violent extremism and foreign powers, says Gabriel Wernstedt at Säpo's press department.  

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs regrets the situation and points to how relations with other countries can deteriorate. 

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in contact with the embassies and follows the situation closely. The Foreign Ministry does not comment on the threat picture against our embassies or what security and preparedness measures are being taken, as this could defeat the purpose of the measures.  

What is happening right now in the wake of these actions is of course a bad development for Sweden's international relations and in particular with Muslim countries," the Foreign Ministry's press service states in a comment. 

Protests outside the Swedish embassy in Ankara, Turkey. Photo: Burhan Ozbilici / AP