Neo-Nazi movements lead to increased Islamophobia, says Turkiye FM

Turkiye, on Tuesday, criticised a Swedish far-right politician for burning the Muslim Holy Book, Quran, and said such “neo-Nazi movements have led to increased Islamophobia.”

Urging to work and collaborate against any form of racism and anti-Islam rhetoric, Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, in a joint presser with his Hungarian counterpart, Peter Szijjarto, said attacks on mosques and the burning of the Quran do not have anything to do with freedom of expression, Anadolu News Agency reports.

On Thursday, Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the far-right Stram Kurs (Hard Line) group, burned a copy of the Muslim Holy Book in Sweden’s southern Linkoping city, according to media reports.

READ: Iran slams Sweden over Quran burning

Paludan also threatened to burn copies of the Quran during extremist rallies.

Following the provocation, protests have continued in parts of the country, the Swedish daily, Expressen, reported.

Three people were injured Sunday in Sweden’s eastern city of Norrkoping, when police reportedly fired on rioters during protests against the burning of the Holy Quran.

Earlier, Cavusoglu also attended a groundbreaking ceremony of the new building of the Hungarian Embassy in Ankara.