JABAR EKSPRES – On Wednesday, the United States condemned the act of burning holy books as inappropriate behavior following the burning of a Quran in Sweden on the first day of Eid al-Adha celebrations.
Deputy State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel stated that they have repeatedly expressed that burning holy books is inappropriate and hurtful. He also said that while an act may be legal, it does not mean it is appropriate or right.
Patel emphasized that the Swedish government and local law enforcement should have responded to the incident. He also stated that the US continues to encourage Hungary and Turkey to ratify Sweden’s joining protocol to NATO without delay, so that Sweden can become a member of the alliance soon.
Baca Juga:Amerika Kecam Pembakar Kitab Suci Al-Quran di Swedia, Sebut Pelaku Kurang AjarIraqis Burn Copies of Quran Outside Mosque in Sweden During Eid al-Adha
Earlier, an Iraqi national named Salwan Monika set fire to the Muslim holy book in front of a mosque in Stockholm, on the first day of the Islamic religious celebration known as the Feast of Sacrifice.
The incident took place in front of Stockholm Medborgarplatsen Mosque, where Monika first threw the Quran on the ground before setting it on fire and insulting Islam.
On June 12, a Swedish appeals court upheld a lower court’s decision to overturn the Koran burning ban, stating that police had no legal basis to prevent two Koran burnings that occurred earlier this year.
In February, police refused to grant permits for two Quran burning attempts on security grounds, after a right-wing politician named Rasmus Paludan burned a Quran in front of the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm in January.
Later, the two men involved in the provocative actions in front of the Iraqi and Turkish embassies in Stockholm appealed against the decision.
In April, the Stockholm Administrative Court overturned the lower court’s decision and stated that the security risks were not sufficient to restrict the demonstration.