[ad_1]
Trehörning said that Tuesday’s arrests came after extensive intelligence and investigative work “after the protests that were directed at Sweden in connection with the high-profile burning of the Quran in January and where there are international calls for attacks.”
In January, a far-right activist from Denmark received permission from police to stage a protest outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm where he burned the Islamic holy book.
That angered millions of Muslims around the world and triggered protests. NATO-member Turkey said it wouldn’t allow Sweden to join the military alliance as long as the Scandinavian country permits such protests to take place. In Sweden, such demonstrations are protected by freedom of speech.
All NATO members need to ratify in their parliaments the accession requests by Sweden.
Finland which sought NATO membership at the same time as Sweden is expected to join the alliance later Tuesday after all 30 member states ratified the Finns’ accession request, but Turkey is holding out on ratifying Sweden’s membership.
In February, Swedish police denied permission for protests involving the burning of a Quran, fearing they could provoke terror attacks or attacks against Swedish interests.
On Tuesday, Sweden’s Administrative Court ruled that freedom of assembly and demonstration are constitutionally protected rights and overturned the police decision, saying security risk concerns were not enough to limit the right to demonstrate.
[ad_2]
Source link
