Image Source: Muslim Mirror
Sweden – Recently, the Swedish Prosecuting Authority charged a far-right individual with incitement against ethnic groups by desecrating the Holy Quran. Although they did not explicitly name the suspect, multiple media outlets identified the man as Swedish-Danish far-right extremist Rasmus Paludan, who is infamous for his provocative and Islamophobic actions, such as burning the Quran.
In January 2023, Paludan’s act of burning the Quran in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm sent shockwaves not only across Sweden but also globally. This incident not only sparked domestic and global outrage but also significantly strained political relations between Sweden and Turkey, especially since Turkey was holding up Sweden’s NATO bid.
According to Professor Emin Poljarević from Uppsala University in Sweden, far-right individuals like Paludan commit such actions with the explicit aim of provoking reactions from Muslim communities and inciting violent responses. These provocations are intended to create a climate of fear and division.
“The intention seemingly behind the Quran burnings and all this incitement of hatred towards Muslims in Sweden and Denmark for Paludan is actually to provoke such reactions as the Turkish state did, or demonstrations, or violence, especially among the Muslim minorities in Sweden and Denmark.”
“That has partly succeeded in the sense that the Muslim world reacted very vocally, and Muslim minorities in Sweden and Denmark, specifically in Sweden, have also been very vocal against it, with some rioting occurring.”
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Islamophobia Sweeping Across Europe
There has been a rise in hate crimes and Islamophobia across Europe, with increasing incidents of rioting, violence, and intolerance targeting Muslim communities in the United Kingdom. Acts such as attacking Islamic places of worship, homes, businesses, and properties, along with racial and anti-immigrant rhetoric, are being fueled by far-right ideologies and nationalist sentiments.
Instigators like Tommy Robinson, a prominent figure known for his history of Islamophobia and stirring anti-Muslim sentiment, are among the main contributors to the riots sweeping across the UK. Robinson, for instance, has been involved in organizing anti-Muslim protests and has a significant online presence where he spreads anti-Islamic rhetoric.
Professor Poljarević pointed out that these incidents targeting Muslim minorities and communities are symptomatic of a deeply rooted hatred and Islamophobia in Europe, which he traces back to the 9/11 era. Moreover, the rise of nationalism and identity crises in much of Western Europe is attributed to these growing tensions.
According to him, extreme nationalism often leads to the scapegoating of visible minorities, with Muslims bearing the brunt of this animosity due to their distinct cultural and religious identity.
“When nationalism goes into overdrive, it becomes extreme. These extreme feelings are born out of it and, most likely, these feelings have not been able to bubble up and dominate the public discourse for many decades.”
“But now we see that these fringe and marginal feelings of loss of identity and so on have become much more pronounced. The hatred and spearhead of such strong feelings have been aimed at Muslim minority groups because Muslim minorities have been growing over several decades.”
“The most visible minority amongst the non-Muslim Western European majorities is the Muslim minority because they have kept a sense of identity, faith, and communal organizing. The majority population feels threatened by this strong sense of identity among Muslim minorities.”
