Sweden Democrat leader Jimmy Åkesson: “Tear down Islamist mosques”

Jimmie Åkesson’s statement about tearing down and closing mosques that “spread anti-democratic, anti-Swedish, homophobic, antisemitic propaganda or general disinformation” has led to a storm of criticism – but the SD leader stands firm in his belief.

– I am not targeting Muslims – I am targeting Islamism and Islamists, he points out.

– We need to confiscate and tear down mosques where anti-democratic, anti-Swedish, homophobic, antisemitic propaganda or general disinformation is spread, said the SD leader during a speech. This statement quickly went viral and was strongly condemned by Muslim congregations and political opponents.

Even prime minister Ulf Kristersson felt compelled to announce that “in Sweden, we do not tear down places of worship”.

– It gives a wrong impression about what Sweden stands for internationally, and forced the foreign ministry to correct the image of what Sweden is. I think one should calm down, and remember that we are living in dangerous times right now, he further commented on Åkesson’s statement.

“Imperialist ideology”

However, the SD leader is questioning the storm of criticism and points out that he has not at all targeted people with Muslim faith – but “Islamism and Islamists”.

– I have no comments on that (freedom of religion), on the contrary – that’s something we should protect. But it’s not the same as having the right to come to Sweden and build monuments over a foreign, imperialist, and political ideology like Islamism is, says Jimmie Åkesson to tax-funded SVT.

He points out that several other European countries have chosen to shut down mosques classified as Islamist, and that this is not something strange.

– France has closed a number of mosques and in Germany, a number of Muslim associations that are very extreme have been shut down. We should be able to do the same in Sweden. We must not be naive about the presence of Islamism.

– It would be obvious for moderate Muslims to welcome this debate because they have to deal with this issue. But I don’t think they are highlighting it enough, he continues.