Protests across Lebanon, Middle East against Quran Burning

Friday saw protests against the recent savaging of Islam's sacred book by far-right activists in Sweden and the Netherlands in a number of nations with a large Muslim population.

People calmly dispersed at the end of the demonstration in Lebanon.

Around 200 enraged demonstrators in Beirut set fire to the Swedish and Dutch flags outside the mosque with the blue dome, Mohammed Al-Amin, which is located in Martyrs Square, the city's main square.

A far-right activist from Denmark torched the Quran, the holy book of Islam, at a protest he organised outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm earlier this month with police's approval. Days later, near the Dutch Parliament, Edwin Wagensveld, the Dutch head of the far-right Pegida movement, tore pages out of a copy of the Quran and trampled on them.

Protests were sparked by the actions, which infuriated millions of Muslims around the world.

Swedish officials have emphasised that, although inciting violence or using hate speech is prohibited, people have a wide range of rights under the Swedish Constitution to freely express their opinions.

Demonstrators are required to request a permit from the police for a public gathering. Only in extraordinary cases, such as when there are dangers to the public's safety, can police deny such permits.

Muqtada al-Sadr, a prominent Shiite cleric in Iraq, questioned on Friday whether exercising one's right to free speech entails upsetting others' religious convictions. Why "doesn't the burning of the gays' rainbow flag reflect freedom of expression," the speaker questioned.

Burning the Quran "will bring divine anger," the cleric continued. Outside a mosque in Baghdad, hundreds of his fans gathered and waved Qurans.