STOCKHOLM: Sweden has arrested 26 individuals after weekend clashes between police and protesters rallying towards plans by a far-right group to burn copies of the Koran, police mentioned on Monday.
Eight individuals have been arrested within the metropolis of Norrkoping and 18 individuals have been detained within the neighbouring metropolis of Linkoping, police mentioned in an announcement.
On Sunday, clashes erupted in each cities for the second time in 4 days over rallies by anti-immigration and anti-Islam group Exhausting Line, led by the Danish-Swedish politician Rasmus Paludan.
Police mentioned officers wounded three individuals after firing warning pictures throughout Sunday's clashes.
Paludan, a lawyer and a YouTuber who intends to face in Swedish legislative elections in September however doesn't but have the required variety of signatures to safe his candidature, is at present on a "tour" of Sweden.
The 40-year-old is visiting neighbourhoods with massive Muslim populations the place he needs to burn copies of the Muslim holy ebook Koran as Muslims observe the holy month of Ramadan.
In Malmo, the place he burned a Koran on Saturday, hearth erupted in a college in a single day, officers mentioned.
Exhausting Line's rallies have sparked a number of clashes between the police and counter-protesters throughout the Scandinavian nation in latest days.
On Thursday and Friday, round 12 cops have been injured within the clashes.
Within the wake of the string of incidents, Iraq's international ministry mentioned on Sunday that it had summoned the Swedish cost d'affaires in Baghdad.
It warned that the affair may have "severe repercussions" on "relations between Sweden and Muslims generally, each Muslim and Arab nations and Muslim communities in Europe".