“We, ordinary Swedes, do not stand behind his actions. Sweden stands for democracy and equality. Justice and the equal value of all people,” said Cecilia Saav who sprayed a far-right extremist with a fire extinguisher as he attempted to desecrate the Holy Quran.
Danish journalist Robert Carter in a social media post revealed that the 47-year-old Swedish woman Saav is a non-Muslim who went viral on social media after confronting a man who desecrated the Quran on August 18 outside the Iranian embassy in the Swedish capital.
The mother of two told Carter that she is not religious but believes in equality for all people and to treat each other with respect regardless of race and religion.
She has been praised by people all over the world for confronting the people carrying out vile act that hurt the sentiments of Muslims. Saav said she is “very grateful for all the love and appreciation people” have expressed after her video.
“My Facebook is flooded with messages from people who care,” she added.
Two days earlier, a copy of the Holy Quran was desecrated for the second time in a matter of weeks in front of the Royal Palace in Sweden while police guarded the site.
A group wearing firefighter-themed outfits was also present in the crowd whose members chanted “extinguish the hate” while encouraging onlookers to speak into their megaphones.
Those granted permission to desecrate the Quran by the Swedish authorities were allocated a one-hour slot, after which the police allowed people to collect pages of the holy Quran.
Amid strong reaction from the Muslim nations, Denmark said on August 25 it plans to ban the desecration of the Holy Quran after a string of desecrations of Islam’s holy book in the Scandinavian nation sparked anger in Muslim countries.
The government will present a bill that will “prohibit the inappropriate treatment of objects of significant religious importance to a religious community,” Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard told reporters.
Pakistan appreciated the Denmark government’s decision after a series of such incidents in a couple of Nordic countries triggered protests in Muslim countries.
“Pakistan appreciates the Danish govt’s proposed legislation to criminalise improper treatment of religious texts and objects of significant importance, including the Holy Quran,” interim Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani wrote on X on August 26.
