Hundreds protest outside Swedish Consulate in Istanbul over Quran burning

Outrage over a Quran-burning incident in Sweden has ignited a second day of protests in Türkiye, reflecting a growing global condemnation against anti-Muslim hatred while complicating the already tense diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Some 250 people gathered outside the Swedish Consulate in Istanbul on Sunday, holding flags and banners that said “We condemn Sweden’s state-supported Islamophobia.”

Anti-Muslim activist Rasmus Paludan burned a copy of Islam’s holy book outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm on Saturday, sparking protests in Istanbul and Ankara that night.