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Protesters burn Quran near Parliament building in Stockholm

Muslims observing the demonstration from behind a police barrier protested loudly

STOCKHOLM, July 31. /TASS/. An authorized protest rally took place near the Parliament building in Stockholm. Its organizers - migrants from Iran Salwan Momika and Salwan Nadjem, already under investigation over charges of incitement of hate during similar protests - burned several pages of the Quran.

About 50 people gathered at the square, most of them - reporters. Momika and Nadjem kicked a copy of the holy scripture and then set several pages on fire, tossed the burning copy in a dumpster and then tore apart another copy, also throwing it away.

Muslims observing the demonstration from behind a police barrier protested loudly, with one observer challenging Momika to talk to him face to face.

On June 28, Momika, 37, tore several pages from the Quran and set them on fire in downtown Stockholm. This protest took place on the first day of the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha - one of the religion’s main celebrations. This stunt sparked a sharply negative reaction from the people and authorities of Islamic states, particularly Arab ones. During a similar protest near the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm, Momika kicked the holy scripture but did not burn it. The Swedish embassy in Baghdad was attacked by protesters, and the Iraqi government decided to expel the Swedish Ambassador.

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