Koran-burning in Stockholm draws strong condemnation from Turkey
Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Swedish consulate in Istanbul and set the Swedish flag ablaze on Saturday.
Riot police who took security measures around the consulate building had stopped protesters trying to damage the entrance of the building.
In a separate protest in Ankara, the crowd gathered in front of the Swedish embassy and left a black wreath in front of the embassy building with the inscription "Say Stop to Islamophobia".
Protests in Stockholm on Saturday against Turkey and Sweden's bid to join Nato, including the burning of a copy of the Koran, sharply heightened tensions with Turkey at a time when the Nordic country needs Ankara's backing to gain entry to the military alliance.
Rasmus Paludan, a Danish anti-immigration politician burned a copy of the Koran outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm on Saturday.
Paludan, leader of the fringe political party Hard Line, torched a copy of the Islamic holy book. The police permit for the demonstration said it was against Islam and what it called Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's attempt to influence freedom of expression in Sweden.
Paludan could not immediately be reached by email for comment. In the permit he obtained from police, it says his protest was held against Islam and what it called Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's attempt to influence freedom of expression in Sweden.
A separate protest took place in Stockholm supporting Kurds and against Sweden's bid to join Nato. A group of pro-Turkish demonstrators also held a rally outside the embassy. All three events had police permits
The Koran burning sparked a protest outside Sweden's embassy in Ankara, where dozens took part in a demonstration organised by Turkey's New Welfare Party.
Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said on Twitter on Saturday that Islamophobic provocations were appalling,
Sweden and Finland applied last year to join Nato following Russia's invasion of Ukraine but all 30 member states must approve their bids. Turkey has said Sweden in particular must first take a clearer stance against what it sees as terrorists, mainly Kurdish militants and a group it blames for a 2016 coup attempt.
Reuters
