This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30658482
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Sweden protest after three mosque fires in one week | Sweden protest after three mosque fires in one week |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Swedish anti-racism campaigners have staged a big rally in central Stockholm after three arson attacks on mosques. | Swedish anti-racism campaigners have staged a big rally in central Stockholm after three arson attacks on mosques. |
| Demonstrators held leaflets saying "Don't touch my mosque" at the 1,000-strong rally outside parliament. | |
| A petrol bomb was thrown at a mosque in Uppsala, eastern Sweden, on Thursday. The building did not catch fire. | A petrol bomb was thrown at a mosque in Uppsala, eastern Sweden, on Thursday. The building did not catch fire. |
| In late December a mosque was set ablaze at Esloev in the south, and earlier an arson attack on a mosque in Eskilstuna injured five people. | In late December a mosque was set ablaze at Esloev in the south, and earlier an arson attack on a mosque in Eskilstuna injured five people. |
| Anti-racism rallies also took place in the cities of Malmo and Gothenburg on Friday. | Anti-racism rallies also took place in the cities of Malmo and Gothenburg on Friday. |
| In Stockholm Sweden's Culture Minister Alice Bah Kuhnke said the government would launch a national strategy to counter Islamophobia. The idea is to educate people about Islam and curb prejudice, she said. | |
| In a mark of solidarity well-wishers plastered the entrance to the Uppsala mosque with red love hearts after Thursday's attack. | In a mark of solidarity well-wishers plastered the entrance to the Uppsala mosque with red love hearts after Thursday's attack. |
| So far the police investigation has not led to any arrests following the arson attacks. | So far the police investigation has not led to any arrests following the arson attacks. |
| The government has pledged to step up security at places of worship. | The government has pledged to step up security at places of worship. |
| Culture Minister Bah Kuhnke told the Stockholm rally that the attacks were "aimed at intimidating and diminishing" people. | |
| "That's why one of the most important things we can do is to not let ourselves be intimidated," AFP news agency quoted her as saying. | "That's why one of the most important things we can do is to not let ourselves be intimidated," AFP news agency quoted her as saying. |
| Immigration has become a hot topic of debate in Sweden, which accepts more asylum seekers per capita than any other European country. | Immigration has become a hot topic of debate in Sweden, which accepts more asylum seekers per capita than any other European country. |
| The anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, who got 13% in elections last September, want a 90% cut in the number of asylum seekers allowed into Sweden. Last month the party nearly brought down the new coalition government, in a protest against its asylum policy. | The anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, who got 13% in elections last September, want a 90% cut in the number of asylum seekers allowed into Sweden. Last month the party nearly brought down the new coalition government, in a protest against its asylum policy. |
| About 16% of Sweden's population are foreign-born, many of them from war-torn Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria - all Muslim-majority countries. | About 16% of Sweden's population are foreign-born, many of them from war-torn Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria - all Muslim-majority countries. |