Dr Anwar Gargash denounces 'hatred and fanaticism' of anti-Islam gatherings in Sweden

Protesters have demonstrated against far-right rallies where the Quran was to be burnt

Dr Anwar Gargash said the far-right extremists in Sweden 'reject the principles of coexistence'. Pawan Singh / The National

A senior UAE official has condemned anti-Islam gatherings in Sweden where copies of the holy Quran were to be burnt as a “wave of hatred and fanaticism".

Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the President, Sheikh Khalifa, posted online to say that those involved had taken on an ideology that could not support religions coexisting in peace.

“The wave of hatred and fanaticism that Sweden is witnessing against our true Islamic religion is rejected and poses a danger in its adoption of an ideology that rejects the principles of coexistence,” Dr Gargash wrote on Monday.

Demonstrators gathered in a number of Swedish cities to protest against rallies organised by Danish anti-immigration and anti-Islam political party Stram Kurs — Hard Line — led by Danish-Swedish politician Rasmus Paludan.

Swedish police on Sunday fired warning shots during a protest in the eastern city of Norrkoping, over plans by Mr Paludan's group to burn copies of the Quran.

It followed earlier clashes at the weekend that resulted in police officers being injured and patrol vehicles set on fire.

Dr Gargash reaffirmed the UAE's tolerant approach where people of different backgrounds and faiths can live together without fear.

“What is happening confirms the efficacy of the tolerance approach that characterises the UAE, which has chosen it as a path and this has reflected positively on its society where many cultures and religions live in full security and stability,” he said.

Saudi Arabia also expressed condemnation of the deliberate abuse of the Quran, provocations, and incitement against Muslims by extremists in Sweden.

The country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed the importance of concerted efforts to spread the values of dialogue, tolerance, coexistence, and renounce hatred and extremism, while preventing abuse of all religions and holy sites.

Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a UAE-based professor of political science, said the Quran incidents involved a small minority with extreme views.

“What an extremist politician did in Sweden by burning a copy of the noble Quran is religiously, morally and humanely rejected,” Prof Abdulla wrote on Twitter.

“He represents a small extremist group who hate Islam and Muslims, and not a Swedish society.

“This society is among the most civilised, tolerant, open, moderate and accepting of the other and [the politician] should not be responded to with violence or by burning the Swedish flag.”

On Sunday, a crowd of about 150 people threw stones at officers and police vehicles and set fire to cars in Norrkoping, about 160 kilometres south of the capital Stockholm.

Demonstrations against Mr Paludan have also taken place in other Swedish towns and cities.

Since Thursday, protests have also occurred in Linkoping, south-west of Norrkoping, as well as the capital Stockholm, Malmo, in southern Sweden, south-central city Orebro and southern town Landskrona.

Protests in Sweden — in pictures