Anti-Islam Activist Holds Draw Mohammed Demonstration in Sweden

Danish anti-Islam activist Rasmus Paludan held a demonstration on the outskirts of the Swedish multicultural city of Malmo, calling on members of the public to draw cartoons of the Islamic prophet Mohammed.

Paludan held his demonstration on Thursday nearby to the Öresund Bridge which links Denmark and Sweden after local police denied him permission t hold the event in the no-go area of Rosengard.

During the protest, which saw Paluden himself wear a bulletproof vest, the anti-Islam activist called on members of the public to draw pictures of the Islamic prophet Mohammed but, according to a report from the newspaper Sydsvenskan, he was unable to find any volunteers.

The newspaper notes that the only people who turned up for the demonstration were members of Paludan’s entourage and members of the media. A large number of police officers were also present during the demonstration, with an estimated 20 police vans on site.

A counter-demonstration of around 50 people had also gathered but both sides were kept apart by the officers on the scene.

Petra Stenkula, commanding officer at the Malmo police, commented on the demonstration, saying: “The police do not give permission for anyone’s opinions, but the right to express them. Of course, we thought at length about which place might be suitable given the threat picture.”

“Then we concluded that this place would benefit both his ability to speak and ensure a good place based on an order and security situation,” Stenkula added.

The demonstration comes just under a year after Paludan and his group, Stram Kurs (Hard Line), held a Qu’ran burning in Malmo in August.

The event was followed up by rioting and violence toward police during the evening in the no-go zone of Rosengard. So far several have been arrested in connection to the violence and 13 were charged earlier this month in connection to the violence.

The demonstration is just the latest for Paludan, who has held anti-Islam demonstrations in several countries over the last several years, including in Denmark, where his actions also provoked riots in Copenhagen and made an attempt to hold an event in Paris where he was stopped by local police.

Follow Chris Tomlinson on Twitter at @TomlinsonCJ or email at ctomlinson(at)breitbart.com