Protests rock Abuja over ”blasphemy” in Sweden

On Friday, July 7, some Muslim youths protested at National Mosque’s premises in Abuja to express their anger with what happened in Sweden recently, which they called blasphemy.

The protest started shortly before the Jumma’t prayers and continued after the prayers when more youths joined the protest, thus obstructing vehicular movements.

Expressing their displeasure by carrying placards with messages like “Qur’an is our guide”, among several others, and also chanting solidarity songs, the protesters barricaded the road, thus causing motorists to take alternative routes to their destination.

They demanded that world leaders speak up on the matter and demanded severe punishment for the Iraqi immigrant who committed the crime in Sweden, which they described as blasphemy.

Recall that a few days ago, an Iraqi immigrant burnt Islam’s Holy Book outside a Stockholm (Sweden) Mosque during the major Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

The man had said his action displayed his feelings about the Quran.

The action triggered widespread condemnation in the Islamic world.