Stockholm: In the Swedish city of Orebro, protesters protesting against an alleged intention to burn the Koran by a far-right group clashed with police on Friday, injuring nine police officers. Orebro Police also said in a statement that nine of its officers were injured in the attack by protesters. Sweden’s prestigious daily newspaper Aftonbladet quoted police spokeswoman Diana Kudaib as saying that violent protesters pelted stones at policemen, inflicting serious injuries on them. A civilian was also injured due to a stone hit in the head.
According to local media, around 200 people were involved in the demonstration, which the police managed to disperse by evening. It was the second day that clashes broke out at the rally of the anti-immigrant and anti-Islamic Strom Kurs (Hard Line) movement led by Danish-born Swedish Rasmus Paludan. Three police officers had to be taken to hospital after a riot broke out in the city of Linköping on Sweden’s east coast on Thursday. There was a plan to burn the Quran during a demonstration here. 2 people were arrested in this protest.
Responding to the violence, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said; ‘In Sweden, people are allowed to express their opinion, whether in good or bad taste. It is part of our democracy. Whatever you think, you should never resort to violence. We will never accept it. This is exactly the kind of violent reaction he (Rasmus Paludan) wants to see. Its purpose is to invite people against each other.
Rasmus Paludan has regularly been at the center of events in recent years. In November 2020, he was arrested and deported in France. Soon after, five other activists were arrested in Belgium, who was accused of ‘spreading hatred’ by burning the Quran in Brussels. Rasmus Paludan is a Danish-born Swedish politician and lawyer. He is the leader of the far-right political party ‘Hard Line’, which he founded in 2017. He is the elder brother of poet Tyne Paludan and writer Martin Paludan.
