Protestors fuming over the intention to burn a copy of Quran, launched a forceful demonstration at the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad. The demonstrators breached the embassy compound and ignited a small fire.
As per a report by Associated Press, videos and pictures surfacing online show the protestors brandishing flags and placards depicting Muqtada al-Sadr, a prominent Iraqi Shiite cleric and a political figure. The protests comes in response to the planned burning of the Islamic holy book, which is scheduled to take place in Stockholm.
The videos depicted a group of men crossing the fence of the complex, and the sound of their attempts to force open a front door. Moreover, one of the videos showed a small fire being ignited. The video also showed some men shirtless, as due to the summer heat.
Some people also performed predawn prayers outside of the embassy.
In the morning, police and other officials arrived at the location, while faint plumes of smoke continued to rise. Firefighters attempted to extinguish the flames using a fire truck’s ladder. A few protestors remained at the scene, holding placards displaying al-Sadr’s image.
In a short statement, the Swedish Foreign Ministry stated that its “embassy staff [members] are in safety.” The statement added that it is Iraqi authorities’ “responsibility to protect diplomatic missions and diplomatic staff.”
Iraq’s Foreign Ministry also released a statement denouncing the attacks on the embassy, however, it did not explain the breach.