The Koran burnings

Joe Biden. Susan Walsh/AP 

The Koran burnings 

Biden: It is not Swedes who burn the Koran  

It is not Swedes, but immigrants, who burn the Koran in Sweden. This is what US President Joe Biden says in a recent interview with CNN. 

- It can be cited as an excuse and puts Erdogan in a difficult position at home.  

Biden also expresses optimism about Swedish NATO membership, noting Turkey and Greece's willingness to buy F-16 planes.  

The president says he is trying to "put together a small consortium" to strengthen NATO by increasing Turkey's and Greece's capabilities and letting Sweden in. 

Salwan Momika, who burned the Koran in Stockholm on June 28, is an Iraqi immigrant and critic of Islam. In the past, the Danish-Swedish right-wing extremist Rasmus Paludan has carried out a series of Koran burnings, which in the spring of 2022 gave rise to the so-called Easter riots. 

Demonstration against Koran burning at Medborgarplatsen in Stockholm. Marcus Lindström/TT  

The Koran burnings 

Protester: We don't want to burn someone else's faith  

Up to 4,000 people are said to have participated in Sunday's protest demonstration against Koran burnings at Medborgarplatsen in Stockholm. According to SVT Nyheter's reporter on the spot, the event went smoothly. 

- They burn the Koran but we don't want to burn the Bible or someone else's faith, our Koran teaches us that we should accept the faith of others, says Nejah Abdulkadr, one of the participants. 

During the demonstration, several speeches were made with the message that Koran burnings should be considered a hate crime. Protester Tabarek Aljanab shares the opinion. 

- This is not something we see as freedom of speech, but more like incitement against a group of people. If you want to show that you are against something, you can show it without provoking, he tells TT.