In 2023, Swedish authorities allocated 2.4 million kronor to fund additional public safety measures during a series of Qur’an burning protests. Swedish Radio reported this figure, referencing the Stockholm district police, as part of a broader response to maintain order and protect bystanders, participants, and public spaces during the demonstrations.
The government and police described the period from January 1 to August 29 as encompassing 13 officially sanctioned public actions. Each event occurred in different locales and at varying times, with the level of police involvement shaped by the specific context, the scale of the gathering, media interests, and the organizers behind each action. These factors influenced how resources were deployed, how crowd management was conducted, and how safety protocols were implemented on the ground.
On June 28, the Stockholm police sanctioned a demonstration that included the burning of the Qur’an near a mosque. The decision drew attention from political leaders and observers who weighed the balance between lawful assembly and the potential for public offense or tension. The Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, later stated that the decision was legal but inappropriate, reflecting a government stance that legal processes allowed the protest, yet the timing and setting did not align with the government’s broader expectations for communal harmony.
During Eid al-Adha, a man carried out a desecration act by pulling out pages from the Qur’an, wiping shoe soles across the pages, and then setting them on fire. Around 200 spectators observed the incident, highlighting the contentious and polarizing nature of the event and the strong emotions it provoked among different communities and observers alike.
Earlier tensions around the issue were underscored by international commentary, including warnings issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation about potential consequences of Qur’an burnings conducted without accountability. Such statements added a global dimension to the domestic debate, stressing concerns about diplomatic relations, public safety, and the potential for retaliatory actions abroad.