The Capitals: Stockholm allows Quran burning, Julian Assange receives attention from Vatican

Hello and welcome. This is The Capitals.

The divisions of our diverse world were in full display in the capitals across the world.

From two European capitals— Paris and Stockholm— the ripples of an act of police violence and a purported demonstration in the name of freedom of speech were felt worldwide. While in a Paris suburb, a policeman was seen shooting a teenager, stoking violent protests in and beyond France, in Stockholm the burning of holy Quran outside a mosque on one of the holiest days in Islam sparked outrage worldwide.

The act performed in Stockholm by a group of demonstrators will mar Sweden's bid to enter US-led NATO amid Russian offensive in Ukraine, analysts said.

Read this and more, in The Capitals.

Paris, France

"You are going to get a bullet to your head", Nahel M, 17, was told by a policeman in Nanterre, a Paris suburb earlier this week after his vehicle was stopped for violation of one of the traffic rules.

As per video doing the rounds, the police officer then appears to fire as the car abruptly drives off before gradually coming to a stop.

Police initially reported that Sahelwas shot after driving his car at police. But footage of the incident authenticated by multiple news outlets proved that to be false.

The incident has sparked five straight nights of violent unrest in Paris and cities across France that have seen protesters clash with police and massive damage to the public property. Thousands have been arrested so far.

Over the weekend, a mayor's house was car-rammed and ransacked.

The incident has reignited debate over violent policing patterns in France, especially in the areas with minority population.

More than 40,000 police officers mobilised to patrol cities across the country. Since Tuesday, more than 2,000 people have been detained and more than 500 law enforcement personnelhave been injured.

Stockholm, Sweden

For months since the beginning of war in Ukraine, there have been repeated attempts by Sweden and nations deemed its supporters to ensure its entry to NATO, a US-led military alliance that has played chief role in conflicts worldwide over past three decades.

But an act done in the name of freedom of speech has now put the months of efforts into a standstill. A group of demonstrators this week were allowed by a Swedish court to burn a copy of holy Quran. Sweden is now condemned by the Muslim world— including by Turkey, a NATO member— for allowing the burning of the holy book.

The timing of the burning of Islam’s holy book, during the important Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, has further angered Muslims in many countries, who were celebrating the holiday that marks the end of the hajj pilgrimage.

In the incident in Stockholm on Wednesday, two men, watched by a crowd of people, tore pages out of a Quran and burned them outside a mosque.

In an application for the permit, one of the men said he wanted to express his opinion about the Quran by tearing it up and burning it. The police had granted a permit for the demonstration after a Swedish court ruled that banning it would harm the notions of right to freedom of speech.

Vatican City, Vatican

Pope Francis on Friday granted an audience to the wife of Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks who is behind bars in Britain and is battling extradition to the United States.

"The Holy Father has received in audience Mrs. Stella Assange, with family members," a Vatican statement said, with no further details.

Stella Assange is fronting the campaign to have her husband freed. While it was not immediately clear that is Assange's matterwas discussed, the meeting is being interpreted as another attempt by Stella to highlight her husband's incarceration.

Washington DC, United States

In Washington DC, the US President Joe Biden's off-the-cuff remarks ended up boosting extremist Taliban government in Kabul.

Biden said that Washington is getting the help from Afghanistan's Taliban government to 'end' Al-Qaeda threat. Biden's seemingly off-the-cuff remark contradicts a UN report released last month that saidTaliban maintains "strong and symbiotic" ties with Al-Qaeda, and that late Osama bin Laden's terror group "is rebuilding operational capability" on Afghan soil.

Biden was leaving a press conference on Friday on the US Supreme Court's decision to block his student debt relief programme when a reporter asked if he admitted to mistakes during the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

"No, no. All the evidence is coming back," he replied, according to a White House transcript.

"Do you remember what I said about Afghanistan? I said al Qaeda would not be there. I said it wouldn't be there. I said we'd get help from the Taliban. What's happening now? What's going on? Read your press. I was right."

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