Clashes broke out in an immigrant neighborhood in Sweden's third-largest city of Malmo after an anti-Muslim protester set fire to a copy of the Koran, local police said today.
Police in Malmö said protesters had thrown stones at them and dozens of cars had been set on fire, describing the events that began on Sunday and continued through the night as "violent riots".
Clashes erupted after anti-Islam activist Salvan Momika burned a copy of the Koran on Sunday and an angry crowd tried to stop him, police said. At least three people were detained.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristerson said at a press conference commenting on the events: "Regardless of the reasons behind these riots, burning cars, harassment, violence against police officers is completely unacceptable."
The burning of the Koran sparked violent protests in Muslim countries, attacks on Swedish diplomatic missions and threats from Islamic extremists. Leaders of the Muslim community in Sweden have called on the government to find ways to stop the burning of Korans.
Sweden abolished its blasphemy laws in the 1970s and the government has said it has no intention of reintroducing them.
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