Sweden, a nation that is known for its progressive lifestyle, has recently undergone an unprecedented period of unrest. This has, regrettably, led to palpable concerns about the safety of its citizens while traveling abroad.
Demonstrators in Ankara, Beirut, Islamabad, and Jakarta set fire to the Swedish flag last summer. Protests also reached a boiling point in Iraq and Lebanon, as demonstrators alternated between storming the embassies and hurling cocktail molotovs. Furthermore, on October 17, a man who claimed to have been inspired by the Islamic State killed two Swedish football fans who were in Brussels to witness the Belgium-Sweden game.
After the events of the previous year, the Swedish government has issued a warning to its citizens to exercise caution when traveling abroad. This comes as a surprise to a nation that has been renowned for its comparatively lenient migration policies and dedication to intercultural dialogue.
Threats of violence and provocation directed at Islam
The deed of burning the Qu’ran can be attributed to the increase in animosity. Despite the fact that the sacrosanct text was initially destroyed in Denmark in 2010, desecrations have become increasingly prevalent in Sweden. Rasmus Paludan, a 41-year-old dual citizen of Denmark and Sweden who trained as a lawyer, is the initiator of the trend. Paludan, the leader of the Danish “Hard Line” (Hart Stram) party, gained recognition as an opponent of the “Islamization of European societies” a few years ago. In the 2019 Danish parliamentary elections, Hart Stram received 1.8% of the vote. However, he was disqualified for manipulating the signature lists necessary to register his candidacy.
In response to the growing controversy surrounding immigration-related issues over the past decade, Paludan opted to relocate to Sweden. In 2020, he incinerated a Qur’an in Rosengården, a district of Malmö where nearly 90% of the population is of immigrant descent. An increase in violence was precipitated by Paludan’s actions. Although he was prohibited from entering the country, he was able to continue his activities and even attracted disciples, including Iraqi refugee Salwan Momika, as a dual national.
In order to intensify tensions, Paludan, Momika, and their disciples collectively target locations that are densely populated with immigrants, places of worship, embassies of Muslim countries, and communities with a significant Muslim population concentration. In the spring of 2022, Paludan embarked on a “election tour” that included a succession of desecrations across Sweden. Consequently, the nation’s reputation in the Middle East endured a decline, and numerous cities were subjected to intense demonstrations. Sweden’s primary foreign policy objective: membership in NATO, was endangered by a severe response from Ankara in January 2023, which was precipitated by a series of provocations near the Turkish embassy.
In fact, the Turkish Parliament responded by urging the rejection of Sweden’s application, which had been formalized seven months prior. For several days, Sweden’s official agency for cultural diplomacy monitored the number of Turkish social media posts denouncing Paludan’s actions at an hourly rate, without any intervention from Swedish authorities.
At the outset of the Aid al-Adha festivities in June, a Qur’an was incinerated in front of Stockholm’s Grand Mosque. Subsequently, there was an unprecedented number of demonstrations, with the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation spearheading the opposition to the intolerable tolerance of Swedish justice. A boycott of Sweden or even retaliation against the nation was advocated by demonstrators in Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, and other Muslim-majority nations.
In response, the Swedish counter-espionage agency SPO increased the alert threshold for terrorist attacks against the country to level 4 (out of 5) in August. The Syrian civil war initiated an unprecedented surge in the influx of refugees in 2016, and this trend signified a resurgence of the atmosphere.
A new rift in the political spectrum and domestic concerns
Transnational actors were the most prevalent in Sweden, despite the fact that the increase in anti-Islamic activities can be attributed to them. The country has been roiled by interethnic tensions and the proliferation of disputes between gangs since the migrant crisis of 2015–2016, which have contributed to the development of fertile ground. Russia has also attempted to incite conflict between long-established Swedes and newcomers by leveraging its networks, according to the Swedish government. The Kremlin’s objective is to destabilize a nation that has consistently supported Ukraine since its invasion in February 2022, to the point of forsaking two centuries of neutrality in order to join NATO.
The controversy has arisen at a time when domestic policy has undergone a paradigm shift as a result of the Sweden Democrats’ (SD) success in September 2022, a far-right party with neo-Nazi origins. It accomplished a certain degree of success by focusing its discourse on its opposition to immigration, which was based on the premise of a “war of civilizations.” The government The government is under the authority of Ulf Kristersson, a liberal-conservative who is supported by the Sweden Democrats. enables them to express their concerns within the national discourse. Many of the country’s extant mosques are to be demolished, according to their most recent proposal.
AFP/Jonathan Nackstrand
The Islamic community’s apprehension regarding the normatization of such behaviors has been further exacerbated by the proliferation of Qur’an burnings. But the Swedish authorities’ inaction is also causing outrage among Muslim communities, a situation that is in striking contrast to that of neighboring countries like Finland and Denmark. At a time when Prime Minister Kristersson’s 2022 Christmas speech indicates that the political security situation is “the worst since the end of the Second World War,” how can we elucidate the position of Swedish officials in reaction to this phenomenon?
Governmental actions are contingent upon cultural and legal factors.
The absence of prohibitive legislation is a technical explanation that is frequently used to explain the high incidence of Qur’an burnings in Sweden. The matter of formally regulating such provocations has attained its culmination, as legislation prohibiting blasphemy and defamation of religion was overturned more than fifty years ago.
To date, Swedish courts have demonstrated a reluctance to incorporate two germane provisions of the penal code—incitement to racial hatred and vexatious conduct—into legal proceedings. The former necessitates evidence, rather than mere suspicion, that the gesture had an objectionable impact. Judges are currently of the opinion that offending a religion is distinct from ethnic group discrimination in the latter scenario. At present, administrative courts of appeal have overturned police prohibitions on Paludan and Momika’s activities.
In the face of an outcry that unifies the United Nations’ Human Rights Council, as well as Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, and Victor Orban, the parties in the government coalition alternate between condemning the Qur’an burnings and refusing to “acquiesce to foreign diktats.” The Social Democratic Party of Sweden, which is currently in opposition, appears to be contemplating a reassessment of its legal arsenal.
It is not The concept of freedom of expression has been an essential aspect of Swedish national identity since the 18th century; however, its application has been restricted by legislation that is frequently enacted in response to political pressures. Swedish citizens have been prohibited from wearing clothing that discloses their political affiliation since 1933. In 1996, a man was convicted in court for wearing a flag that bore the word “Valhalla” and literary allegories in order to commemorate Swedish National Day. In 2014, artist Dan Park was issued a substantial fine, six months in prison, and the destruction of his works for his collages, which depicted the hanging of three individuals of color, each designated by name, as if it were a lynching.
The current reluctance to modify the legislation can be attributed to the rejection of the notion that ad hoc prohibitions or guardianship can be imposed on the domain of the sacrosanct. The public prosecutor’s ruling regarding the burning of the Qu’ran in front of the Turkish embassy is that it is never unlawful to attack a “symbol,” provided that the demonstration does not specifically target actual adherents.
The dispute has contributed to the establishment of positions within a politically polarized spectrum. The Sweden Democrats regard the right of assembly as an opportunity to establish themselves as advocates for a national virtue—tolerance, even in the face of extreme expressions—while the government maintains a precarious stance. The government condemns the exploitation of Islamophobia by frequently highly undemocratic foreign powers while distancing itself from abhorrent manifestations of xenophobia.
The results of a public inquiry that was initiated in August to investigate the revision of freedom of expression standards are expected to be published on July 1, 2024. The government is endeavoring to resolve a deadlock that has placed Sweden in an unorthodox and disconcerting position by utilizing established consensual mechanisms.
