“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, put on the full armor of God”
[Apr.18.2022] BBC and AP News reported that three people were injured during clashes between police and protesters in Sweden on 17 April (local time) sparked by an anti-Islamic political group’s Quran burning.
The riot broke out following Danish far-right politician Rasmus Paludan’s meetings and planned Quran burnings in various Swedish cities and towns since 14 April. Paludan had canceled a demonstration in North Norrkoping on 17. A crowd of about 150 people who were angry about his demonstrations over the past several days threw stones at police officers and vehicles and set fire to cars.
Police said that they fired warning shots during a riot to disperse protesters and three people seemed to have been hit by ricochets. All three injured were arrested on suspicion of a crime and none of them had serious injuries.
Paludan said on the party’s Facebook page that he decided to cancel the demonstrations as the Swedish police authorities have said that they were completely incapable of protecting themselves and him. Apart from the demonstration, unrest and violent clashes have been reported in Stockholm, Orebro, Landskrona, and Malmo, for three days since 14 April.
On the 15th evening, violent clashes between demonstrators and counter-protesters erupted in the central city of Orebro before Paludan’s plan to burn a Quran there, leaving 12 police officers injured and four police vehicles set ablaze.
In Landskrona, southern Sweden, a few hundred young people threw stones and set cars on fire. They also erected a barrier fence that obstructed traffic on the 16th. Similar unrest took place in nearby Malmo, where a city bus was set on fire on the evening of the 16th. Iran and Iraq, both Islamic countries, also summoned Swedish diplomats to complain about the burning of the Quran.(Source: YeonHap News Edited).
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.(Ephesians 6:12-13)
Dear God, we pray for the radical protests and conflicts sparked by a rally in Sweden where an anti-Islamic political group planned to burn the Quran. Please demolish Satan’s scheme that tries to blind the political group to focus on winning the fight with blood and flesh and to make them enemies through armed conflict. Let the politicians hear the gospel through the prayer of churches in Sweden. Raise Your workers who put on the full armor of God and let them look after the nation and reveal the reign of God.
Prayer 24·365
prayer@prayer24365.org
