The United States condemned the burning of a copy of the Holy Quran by a Danish extremist with Swedish citizenship in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, noting that the act could be directed against unity within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). And US State Department spokesman Ned Brass told a press conference Monday that “burning books considered sacred by many is an extremely humiliating act,” as he called it a heinous, hateful and disgusting act. Price added that the burning of the Quran was the work of someone “provoking the provocation,” noting that it may have been intended to influence discussions about Sweden and Finland joining NATO. He also said that the burning of the Koran may have been intended to alienate two close allies, Sweden and Turkey.
On the other hand, the American representative defended the position of Sweden, which he said supports “freedom of assembly”, and said that this act “could be both legal and shameful at the same time.” It is noteworthy that Sweden and Finland are seeking to join NATO, but this requires the approval of Turkey, a member of the alliance.
Last Saturday, the leader of the Danish hardline party, Rasmus Paludan, burned a copy of the Holy Quran in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, under the close guard of the Swedish police, who did not allow anyone to approach him during his act of provocation. This action caused an angry reaction in Turkey and the Islamic world, and demonstrations were held in several countries of the world condemning it.
