A few dozen Iraqi protesters briefly breach the Swedish embassy in Baghdad over the burning of the Quran by an Iraqi living in Sweden.
The demonstrators, supporters of firebrand Shiite Muslim leader Moqtada Sadr, enter the building and remain inside for about 15 minutes before leaving peacefully as security forces deploy.
The protesters rallied outside the embassy in response to a call by Sadr who demanded the removal of the Swedish ambassador, echoing outrage in Muslim countries over the Quran burning yesterday in Stockholm.
Sadr’s supporters also torch rainbow flags that represent the LGBTQ community, after the powerful cleric suggested this would be “the best way to provoke” those who back Quran burnings.
Stockholm’s foreign ministry says in a statement it was “well informed about the situation. Our embassy staff are safe.”
Salwan Momika, 37, who fled to Sweden from Iraq several years ago, stomped on the Quran before setting several pages alight in front of Stockholm’s largest mosque yesterday.
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From the Liveblog of
Thursday, June 29, 2023
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