Supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr Set Fire to Swedish Embassy in Baghdad

Hundreds of protesters early on Thursday, July 29, attacked the Swedish embassy in central Baghdad in response to the burning of the Quran in Sweden. According to Reuters, supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr gathered in front of the embassy after hearing news of a new permit issued for burning the Quran in the Swedish capital, and then they stormed the embassy and set it on fire. The Swedish Foreign Ministry condemned the act, stating that all embassy staff in Baghdad are safe and emphasized the need for Iraqi authorities to protect diplomatic missions. In this context, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry also condemned the attack on the Swedish embassy and called on Iraqi security forces to identify and arrest the perpetrators. The attack by Muqtada al-Sadr's supporters occurred after a Swedish news agency reported on Wednesday, July 28, that the police had accepted a request to burn the Quran and the Iraqi flag in front of the Swedish embassy in Stockholm on Thursday. Reuters noted that one of the two individuals who received permission for this event is a person who had burned a copy of the Quran in front of the main mosque in Stockholm on July 7. This action provoked reactions from Islamic countries, including the Islamic Republic, and several of these countries summoned Swedish ambassadors. In this context, a group of protesters gathered in front of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad on July 8 and occupied part of the embassy for a time. The protests on Thursday and the attack on the Swedish embassy by Muqtada al-Sadr's supporters were held in response to what was described as 'the second planned event for burning the Quran' in Sweden. A Swedish news agency reported on Wednesday, July 28, that the police had accepted a request to burn the Quran and the Iraqi flag in front of the Swedish embassy in Stockholm on Thursday. This report referred to Selwan Momika, a 37-year-old Iraqi refugee who has been residing in Sweden for several years. On July 7, he stomped on a copy of the Quran outside the main mosque in Stockholm and burned several pages of it. This action elicited reactions from Islamic countries, including the Islamic Republic, and several of these countries summoned Swedish ambassadors. Following these protests, the Swedish government condemned the burning of the Quran on July 11. However, the Swedish government emphasized the protection of the right to assemble, express, and protest as enshrined in the country's constitution. The shadow of discussions regarding freedom of expression and respect for religious beliefs has weighed heavily on Swedish society in recent weeks. Since Swedish laws permit the burning of sacred texts, the authorities in that country have limited legal power to prevent such actions. A Muslim activist refrained from burning the Torah and the Gospel despite having a permit. The issuance of a permit for 'Torah burning' in Sweden has led to reactions, with Netanyahu stating that all sacred texts of religions should be respected. Reactions to the burning of the Quran by the Iraqi refugee have been described by Iran as 'an example of extremism.'