Riots in Sweden over planned Quran burning by Paludan.

Riots in Sweden have erupted in several cities of the country for the fourth day in a row, sparked by an apparent burning of the Quran by far-right, anti-immigrant group. This happened when few Muslims tried to stop and interrupt the Easter rally. Police and protesters have been engaged in serious clashes in the past where several policemen have been injured and several vehicles have been set ablaze. At least 17 people were arrested allegedly for the violence.

Violence Around The Country:

Three people in the Swedish city of Norrköping were hit by police gunfire after clashes between police and demonstrators over Quran-burning clashes that led to riots in Sweden several Swedish cities over the Easter weekend. Several vehicles, including a bus, were torched during the rally in the southern city of Malmö on Saturday.

In some places, counter-protesters attacked the police ahead of the plan for right-wing extremist demonstrations. Magdalena Andersson, the Prime Minister of Sweden has criticised the violence.

"Three people seem to have been hit by the ricochet and are now being treated at a hospital. The three injured have been arrested on suspicion of a crime," police said in an online statement. They added that none of the injuries caused in the riots of Sweden were critical.

Police reported that the situation in Norrköping was peaceful enough on Sunday evening. Where police and protesters have been engaged in serious clashes in the past where several policemen have been injured and several vehicles have been torched.

Who is Rasmus Paludan?

The violence began on Thursday after a demonstration organized by Rasmus Paludan, leader of Denmark's far-right political party 'Strom Kurs' or hard line movement. Paludan, who carried on a series of demonstrations across Sweden during the Easter weekend, claimed to burn the Quran and said he would repeat the action, if necessary. Paludan threatened to hold another rally in Norrköping on Sunday, forcing counter-protesters to gather there. Paludan - who was jailed for a month in 2020 for crimes including racism in Denmark - has tried to plan similar burnings of the Koran in other European countries, inclusive of France and Belgium.

At least 16 police officers were reported injured and several police vehicles destroyed in unrest on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, where far-right groups planned events in the suburbs of Stockholm and the cities of Linköping and Norrköping.

Sweden's national police Chief Anders Thornberg said in a statement on Saturday that protesters had shown indifference to the lives of police officers, adding: "We have seen violent riots before. But this is something else." Earlier, the governments of Iran and Iraq had summoned envoys from Sweden to register their objection to the arson.