Protests, counter-protests escalate over Quran burning in Sweden and Iraq

A group of protesters in Iraq set fire to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad after hearing about a planned burning of the Holy Quran in Stockholmon on Thursday.

The Swedish authorities have approved a demonstration outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm, where organisers plan to burn a copy of the Holy Quran and an Iraqi flag.

Last week, an Iraqi Christian immigrant burned the Holy Quran outside a mosque in Stockholm on the occasion of the Muslim holiday of Eid ul-Azha.

The incident has caused widespread condemnation in the Islamic world.

This, along with other recent protests by a far-right activist, has sparked a debate in Sweden about the limits of freedom of speech. Swedish police have now received new requests for demonstrations by individuals who want to burn the Quran, Torah, and Bible. The Islamic world has urged Sweden to enact bans and introduce blasphemy laws.