Why Can’t Sweden and Denmark Stop Koran Burnings?

A series of public desecrations of Islam’s holy book, the Koran, in Sweden and Denmark have made the Nordic countries the target of anger among many Muslims, straining diplomatic ties and — according to security services — increasing the risk of terrorism. (Two Swedes were shot dead in Brussels on Oct. 16 in a possibly terrorist-related case.) Disinformation campaigns in the Muslim world have further fanned the flames against Sweden, with its accession into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization at stake. The governments in Stockholm and Copenhagen are looking into legal options to block public displays that threaten national security, but their scope for action is limited by constitutional protections for freedom of expression and right of assembly. Still, a Swedish man was convicted of hate speech in October for the first time for a Koran-burning offense. Read Full Article »