Old Image of Riots Resurfaced in Relation to the Recent Quran Burning in Sweden
The Claim
An image shows the recent riots in Sweden after the incident of burning the Holy Quran.
News posted on
Emerging story
Social media users recently shared an image that purportedly shows riots in Sweden after the incident of burning the Holy Quran in front of the Turkish Embassy in Sweden.
“Far-right activists burned a #Quran in Sweden, sparking riots after more than 300 people gathered to protest. Rioters set fires & threw objects at police & rescue services. Whole world is watching and asking why Muslims are so intolerant and blinded by religion, emotion, anger!” a Twitter user wrote.
Some news outlets published the same image with the headline: “Violence Erupts In Sweden After Far-Right Activists Burn Quran.”
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the claim and found it to be misleading. The image is old and unrelated to the riots that erupted after extremists burned the Holy Quran in front of the Turkish Embassy in Sweden.
The Image of Riots Is Outdated
Using Image Reverse Search tools, Misbar’s team found that the image is outdated. It previously surfaced in August 2020 following a similar incident.
Reuters published the image on August 28, 2020, following a riot erupting in Malmo, Sweden, where at least 300 people had gathered to protest against anti-Islam activities.
According to the source, protesters were throwing objects at police officers, and car tyres had been set on fire after a copy of the Holy Quran was burnt by far-right extremists in Malmo, Sweden.
A Twitter account posted the image on August 29, 2020, and wrote: “Violence Erupts in Malmo Town as Far-Right Activists Burn Quran, Protest Ban on Anti-Muslim Leader.”
A Copy of the Holy Quran Burnt in Sweden
The claim began to circulate after a copy of the Holy Quran was recently burnt in front of the Turkish Embassy in Sweden. Videos of the head of the Danish far-right group, Rasmus Paludan, burning the Quran surfaced online.
Rasmus Paludan set the Quran on fire in Stockholm on Saturday, January 21, Anadolu Agency reported.
He verbally attacked Islam and immigration in Sweden and shouted: “If you don’t think there should be freedom of expression, you have to live somewhere else.”
Following the incident, videos of Turkish protesters were filmed burning the Swedish flag following worldwide anger over “Stockholm's support of the act of burning the Quran.”
Read More
