STOCKHOLM (AFP, REUTERS) - Plans by a far-right group to publicly burn copies of the Quran sparked violent clashes by counter-demonstrators for the third day running in Sweden, police said on Sunday (April 17).
In some places counter-protesters attacked police ahead of the planned right-wing extremist demonstrations.
Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has condemned the violence.
In eastern Norrkoping, "during an attack on the police, warning shots were fired", police said.
"Three people seem to have been hit by ricochets and are now being cared for in hospital. All three injured are arrested on suspicion of crime," police said in an online statement, adding none of the injuries were life-threatening.
In the southern city of Malmo, litter bins, a bus and a car were all set on fire in a series of incidents overnight, police said in a statement.
"The situation calmed down towards 3am (9am, Singapore time)," police spokesman Kim Hild told SR public radio, adding that no officers were hurt.
Nearly 20 complaints had been filed, including for vandalism.
There have been similar clashes in recent days over plans by the anti-immigration and anti-Islamic Stram Kurs (Hard Line) movement led by Danish-Swedish politician Rasmus Paludan to burn copies of the Quran in public.
The clashes on Saturday broke out after a rally by the group's supporters.
Three police officers had to be taken to hospital after a riot broke out in the city of Linkoping in eastern Sweden on April 14.
Two people were arrested at that protest.
And on April 15, nine police officers were injured in similar clashes in Orebro in central Sweden.
In the wake of the string of incidents, Iraq's foreign ministry said that it had summoned the Swedish charge d'affaires in Baghdad on Sunday.
It warned that the affair could have "serious repercussions" on "relations between Sweden and Muslims in general, both Muslim and Arab countries and Muslim communities in Europe".
Mr Paludan plans to hold further rallies in two other cities in Sweden, but the demonstrations have not received the go-ahead by police.
