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[1/5] Protesters Storm Swedish Embassy in Baghdad

In a shocking incident, hundreds of protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in central Baghdad early Thursday morning. The protesters scaled the embassy walls and set the building on fire as a demonstration against the anticipated burning of a Koran in Sweden. This act of aggression highlights the volatile tensions prevailing in both Iraq and Sweden.

The Swedish foreign ministry press office released a statement confirming the safety of all embassy staff and condemning the attack. It emphasized the responsibility of the Iraqi authorities to ensure the protection of diplomatic missions. The relentless efforts of the Iraqi government to swiftly investigate, identify the perpetrators, and hold them accountable have been instructed.

The demonstration, organized by supporters of Shi’ite cleric Muqtada Sadr, aimed to protest the second planned Koran burning in Sweden within weeks. Numerous posts in a popular Telegram group linked to the influential cleric and other pro-Sadr media called for the protests.

Swedish news agency TT reported that the Swedish police had granted an application for a public meeting outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm, scheduled for Thursday. The application explicitly referred to the burning of the Koran and the Iraqi flag. It indicated that two individuals, including the person responsible for burning a Koran outside a Stockholm mosque in June, intended to participate in the demonstration.

Videos circulating on the Telegram group, One Baghdad, showed people gathering around the embassy complex around 1 a.m. on Thursday, chanting pro-Sadr slogans. Around an hour later, the protesters burst into the embassy complex, chanting in support of the Koran.

A series of videos posted on the group also displayed smoke rising from a building within the embassy complex, with protesters on the roof. The authenticity of these videos could not be independently verified by Reuters.

Koran Protests Gain Attention

The incident received immediate global condemnation, with Iraq’s foreign ministry joining in the criticism. The ministry issued a statement, underscoring the Iraqi government’s commitment to a thorough investigation and urging security forces to bring the perpetrators to justice.

As dawn broke on Thursday, security forces arrived at the embassy, extinguishing stubborn remaining embers as smoke billowed from the building. Most of the protesters had retreated by this time, with only a small number lingering around the embassy premises.

Last month, Sadr called for protests against Sweden and the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador after an Iraqi man burned a Koran in Stockholm. The Swedish police had subsequently charged the individual with agitation against an ethnic or national group. In an interview with a newspaper, the suspect identified himself as an Iraqi refugee aiming to ban the Koran, the central religious text of Islam.

This incident marks the second time major protests have erupted outside the Swedish embassy in Baghdad following the Koran burning. On a previous occasion, protesters breached the embassy grounds. Multiple Muslim countries, including Iraq, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Morocco expressed their grievances over the incident. Iraq has even sought the man’s extradition to face trial within its borders.

The United States also condemned the act, but acknowledged that Sweden’s issuance of a permit supported freedom of expression and did not constitute an endorsement of the action.

The AI legalese decoder plays a significant role in this situation as it can help in several ways. Firstly, it can analyze the legal implications of the attack on the Swedish embassy in Baghdad. By examining relevant laws and treaties, the AI legalese decoder can assist in determining the applicable legal framework and potential liabilities.

In addition, the AI legalese decoder can provide insights into the legal obligations of Iraq and Sweden to protect diplomatic missions. By analyzing international law, diplomatic agreements, and customary practices, it can help assess the responsibilities of the two countries and determine whether any breaches have occurred.

Furthermore, the AI legalese decoder can aid in deciphering the complex legal aspects surrounding protests, freedom of expression, and hate speech laws. It can assist in understanding the legality of the planned Koran burning in Sweden and its connection to the embassy attack in Baghdad.

Overall, the AI legalese decoder can contribute valuable legal analysis and guidance to both the Iraqi and Swedish authorities in navigating the aftermath of this alarming incident, addressing the grievances of the protesters, and preventing similar occurrences in the future.

Reporting by Timour Azhari; Additional reporting by Anna Ringstrom in Stockholm; Writing by Timour Azhari; Editing by Tom Hogue and Lincoln Feast

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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