Stockholm
\nClashes erupted in an immigrant neighborhood in Sweden\u2019s third largest city after an anti-Muslim protester set fire to a copy of the Quran, police said Monday.
\nPolice in Malmo said they were pelted with rocks and dozens of cars were set on fire, including in an underground garage, and described the events that started Sunday and lasted overnight as \u201ca violent riot.\u201d
\nThe clashes started after an anti-Islam activist, Salwan Momika, burned a copy of the Quran on Sunday and an angry mob tried to stop him, police said. At least three people were detained, they said.
\nEarly Monday, a crowd of mainly young people set fire to tires and debris and some threw electric scooters, bicycles and barriers in Malmo\u2019s Rosengard neighborhood, which has seen similar clashes in the past. Several banners condemned the Quran burning.
\n\u201cI understand that a public gathering like this arouses strong emotions, but we cannot tolerate disturbances and violent expressions like those we saw on Sunday afternoon,\u201d senior police officer Petra Stenkula said.
\n\u201cIt is extremely regrettable to once again see violence and vandalism at Rosengard,\u201d she said.
\n\u201cRegardless of the reason behind these riots, the car fires, the harassment, violence against police officers, … regardless of the reason, I think that all Swedes find this completely unacceptable,\u201d Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said at a news conference.
\nIn the past months, Momika, a refugee from Iraq, has desecrated copies of the Quran in a series of anti-Islam protests mostly in Stockholm. Swedish police have allowed his actions, citing freedom of speech.
\nThe Quran burnings have sparked angry protests in Muslim countries, attacks on Swedish diplomatic missions and threats from Islamic extremists. Muslim leaders in Sweden have called on the government to find ways to stop the Quran burnings.
\nSweden dropped its last blasphemy laws in the 1970s and the government has said it has no intention to reintroduce them.
\nHowever, the government has announced an investigation into the possibility of enabling police to reject permits for demonstrations over national security concerns.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Stockholm Clashes erupted in an immigrant neighborhood in Sweden\u2019s third largest city after an anti-Muslim protester set fire to a copy of the Quran, police said Monday. Police in Malmo said they were pelted with rocks and dozens of cars were set on fire, including in an underground garage, and described the events that started […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":353856,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-353848","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n