The man who said he would burn the Torah and the Bible outside the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm gave up his plan and instead held a one-person demonstration on Saturday against the burning of holy books, the media reported.
At the scene, he said he was a Muslim and threw a lighter he held in his hand to the ground, saying he never intended to burn holy books.
The man, who is in his 30s and had been issued a permit for the protest by Stockholm police, said such an action would be against the Quran, the Muslim holy book, and that he “will not burn,” according to the Swedish news agency TT.
The man, who resides in western Sweden, also said that “no one should do that,” the report said.
Israeli officials had called on the Swedish government to stop the protest and the burning of the holy books on Saturday afternoon outside the diplomatic mission. Israeli President Isaac Herzog and the World Jewish Congress condemned the action in advance as did Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Israel’s Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef.
The Times of Israel reported that the man arrived outside the Israeli diplomatic mission on Saturday afternoon holding a copy of the Quran and saying that it was never his intention to burn Jewish or Christian holy books, only to protest the recent burning of the Quran.
Swedish public broadcaster SVT said the man threw a lighter in his hand to the ground and said he didn’t need it.
“I’m a Muslim, we don’t burn (books). I want to show that we have to respect each other,” the man said, according to SVT, adding that he had no intention to realize his original plan.
Sweden has recently faced strong criticism from Muslim countries for allowing protesters to burn the Quran at small anti-Islam demonstrations.
The man who filed the request for Saturday’s protest, said he wanted to burn the Torah and the Bible outside the Israeli Embassy in response to a Quran-burning outside a Stockholm mosque last month by an Iraqi immigrant.
The right to hold public demonstrations is strong in Sweden and protected by the constitution. Blasphemy laws were abandoned in the 1970s. Police give permissions based on whether they believe a public gathering can be held without major disruptions or risks to public safety.
Last month, an Iraqi Christian immigrant burned a Quran outside a Stockholm mosque during the major Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, triggering widespread condemnation in the Islamic world. A similar protest by a far-right activist was held outside Turkey’s Embassy earlier this year, complicating Sweden’s efforts to convince Turkey to let it join NATO.
On Wednesday, the top U.N. human rights body overwhelmingly approved a measure calling on countries to do more to prevent religious hatred in the wake of the Quran-burnings. It was approved despite objections of Western countries who fear tougher steps by governments could trample freedom of expression.
(AP)
(YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)
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17 Responses
It sounds like the guy didn’t “chang his plans” at all – his plan from the start was to draw attention to the issue of burning religious books. I can’t say I like the way he went about this, but he certainly succeeded…
an Israeli Yid
I was very relieved to read this, but still hold that just the fact that there was even a threat was min haShamayim to warn us that we need to do teshuva. Each person, in consultation with his daas Torah, has to work out exactly for what he needs to do teshuva.
The guy was more likely spooked when he thought of the repercussions of committing such a terrible act.
Por,
My Ruv spoke about this issue by Davening. He said this happened because of women being lax with Tsnius. He explained that just like a Torah must always be covered (except when being lained from) women also need to be properly covered at all times.
He explained that so many of the tragedies & tsoros we’ve experienced as a people were a direct result of women being lax with Tsnius.
Hopefully our women will take this to heart & accept on themselves more and more Chumros to bring Klal Yisroel to a higher level of kedusha.
Definitely made himself a household name. Some people love publicity in any form, even notoriety!
Easy for him to say. He’s not a woman. Maybe, he’s right, but that’s still a dumb thing to say.
Hashem is waiting for all of klal yisroel to wake ourselves up and face reality and accept his wake up call for serious teshuva and Achdus together ASAP so that we can all greet Mashiach already bkarov
It really shocks me why in today’s generation when we’ve tragically had so much non stop horrific tragedies hitting klal yisroel rachmana litzlan that we can still be living in denial and our gedolei hador worldwide have still not made a time for all of klal yisroel together for serious teshuva with fasting and kinnus like Mordechai and Esther decreed in the story of Purim…..
What are we waiting for? Do we need any more tzaros to hit klal yisroel chas vshalom? Have we not had enough already?…..
The choice is completely in our hands. There’s no one to blame but ourselves causing the situation were currently in together as one loving nation…. With the anti-semitism keeping on getting worse and worse.
Let Hashem our loving father and king of kings ruler of the world know when we’re ready to wake up and face reality and accept Hashems wake up call for serious teshuva and Achdus together ASAP so Hashem can send Mashiach already bkarov
B’H
Kuvut.
Stop hocking a cheinik.
Yes, women should be tznius, but stop making everything about that.
Kuvult,
You and your so-called “Ruv” obviously enjoy blaming others, usually women, when bad things happen. Hopefully, you and your clueless “Ruv” will take this to heart and accept on yourselves more and more chumros to bring Klal Yisroel to a higher level of peace and relief from your gross stupidity. You and your “Ruv” should find a boiling hot geyser and fully immerse yourselves into it until Mashiach comes.
Kuvult, tznius is a beautiful aspect of Judaism, STOP MOCKING IT – no one actually talks this way and if they do they truly need to seek help.
@Kuvult
With all due respect to your Rov how can he know that for certain? While tsinus is extremely important how can he assert that it is specifically the reason for tragedies? Is he claiming to know the workings of Hashem? Maybe the message with this Torah was that we need to learn more or that people need to stop talking and going out for kiddush during kriyas Hatorah or the many other areas that can use some chizuk. The better approach is to tell each person to look at themselves and see where they can improve and strengthen their Avodas Hashem. The message is for all of us let’s not forward it to a single group or issue.
I am very greatful that he apparently never intended to actually burn a Torah. But if, as the Left insists, anti Zionism has nothing to do with anti Semitism, how is it that no one ever questioned why anyone would want to burn a quintessential symbol of Judaism in front of an Israeli embassy?
@kuvult Stop trolling
If so, he has made his point that people should not go around burning other people’s books. Note that it was a Christian who started this by burning the Muslim’s books.
Amosak,
Secular Zionists do not believe Torah is min hashamyim but they do use it as proof that Jews are the “Indigenous people” & rightful owners of this land.
Glad to hear that tragedy was averted. When he found that it would cost him tens of thousands of dollars to get his hands on one he realized his cause was not worth that much.