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Hundreds protest outside Swedish Consulate in Istanbul over Quran burning

Some 250 people gather in Istanbul, holding flags and banners condemning "Sweden’s state-supported Islamophobia.”

AP

Protesters also gathered outside the Swedish Embassy in Ankara for a second day and more protests are planned for Sunday evening.

Outrage over a Quran-burning incident in Sweden has ignited a second day of protests in Türkiye, reflecting a growing global condemnation against anti-Muslim hatred while complicating the already tense diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Some 250 people gathered outside the Swedish Consulate in Istanbul on Sunday, holding flags and banners that said “We condemn Sweden’s state-supported Islamophobia.”

Anti-Muslim activist Rasmus Paludan burned a copy of Islam’s holy book outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm on Saturday, sparking protests in Istanbul and Ankara that night.

A sign on a window of the Swedish Consulate read: “We do not share that book-burning idiot’s view.”

Mustafa Demircan, one of the protesters, said the act of burning the Quran should not be considered an act protected by the right of free expression.

Also on Sunday, a group of young people visited churches in the central Artuklu district of Türkiye's Mardin province, handing out roses to church officials and condemning the burning of the Quran.

Ibrahim Halil Yetim, a member of the group, who recorded their efforts on video, said they decided to follow the advice of Islam's Prophet Muhammad and express their reactions to the incident in Sweden in a way befitting their religion.

"Islam is such a religion that it revives even those who come to kill you," he said.

Permission by Swedish government

Paludan, leader of the Danish far-right Stram Kurs (Hard Line), was granted permission by the Swedish government to burn a copy of the Islamic holy book, the Quran, outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm on Saturday.

In response, Ankara cancelled Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson's upcoming visit to Türkiye.

On Sunday, Türkiye's Armenian Patriarchate condemned the Quran burning incident, saying it "aroused deep indignation" in a statement on social media.

The Patriarchate said the "heinous act" not only offended those who belong to the religion of Islam, but also aimed at inciting hostilities among people of different faiths.

"It is certain that this movement, which is incompatible with democracy, freedom, and human rights, will not be accepted by those who share these feelings," it added.

The statement underlined that the Turkish Armenian patriarch, Sahak Mashalian, especially "regretfully condemned this outdated act," along with the Spiritual Assembly of the Church, the clergy, foundation boards, and the Turkish Armenian community.