02 January 2015 Friday
Thousands of people across Sweden are preparing to protest against a series of arson attacks on mosques in the country.
More than 6,000 people are expected to join three separate protests on Friday in Sweden’s largest cities -- Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo -- according to the organizers' Facebook page.
The organizers said in a statement on their Facebook page: “Swedish Muslims testify about how racism in general and Islamophobia in particular is growing stronger in Sweden.
“Hate crimes against individuals and assembly premises are occurring more often and we [believe] that religious freedom is under threat in Sweden.”
The demonstrations come days after three mosques were attacked by arsonists in Eskilstuna, Eslov and Uppsala.
'Attack on freedom'
About 40 different groups are scheduled to take part in the protests including Sweden's Muslim Council and the Swedish United Nations Association.
Swedish Culture Minister Alice Bah Kuhnke is also set to attend.
A mosque in the eastern city of Uppsala was set on fire on New Year’s Eve, making it the third arson attack on a mosque in Sweden since Dec. 25 when a blaze was started at a mosque in the southeast town of Eskilstuna, injuring five people.
A mosque was also attacked in the southern town of Eslov on Dec. 29. No one was injured.
Expo, a Swedish foundation raising awareness on racism and xenophobia, said at least 12 attacks had taken place on mosques across the country in 2014.
Swedish officials have condemned the attacks as “foul” and “an attack on religious freedom in the country.”
The series of attacks occurred amid tense debate on immigration and the rise of the far-right party, the Sweden Democrats.
Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/todays-news/152107/thousands-to-protest-mosque-attacks-in-sweden.
Thousands of people across Sweden are preparing to protest against a series of arson attacks on mosques in the country.
More than 6,000 people are expected to join three separate protests on Friday in Sweden’s largest cities -- Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo -- according to the organizers' Facebook page.
The organizers said in a statement on their Facebook page: “Swedish Muslims testify about how racism in general and Islamophobia in particular is growing stronger in Sweden.
“Hate crimes against individuals and assembly premises are occurring more often and we [believe] that religious freedom is under threat in Sweden.”
The demonstrations come days after three mosques were attacked by arsonists in Eskilstuna, Eslov and Uppsala.
'Attack on freedom'
About 40 different groups are scheduled to take part in the protests including Sweden's Muslim Council and the Swedish United Nations Association.
Swedish Culture Minister Alice Bah Kuhnke is also set to attend.
A mosque in the eastern city of Uppsala was set on fire on New Year’s Eve, making it the third arson attack on a mosque in Sweden since Dec. 25 when a blaze was started at a mosque in the southeast town of Eskilstuna, injuring five people.
A mosque was also attacked in the southern town of Eslov on Dec. 29. No one was injured.
Expo, a Swedish foundation raising awareness on racism and xenophobia, said at least 12 attacks had taken place on mosques across the country in 2014.
Swedish officials have condemned the attacks as “foul” and “an attack on religious freedom in the country.”
The series of attacks occurred amid tense debate on immigration and the rise of the far-right party, the Sweden Democrats.
Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/todays-news/152107/thousands-to-protest-mosque-attacks-in-sweden.
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