Sweden braces for anti-Turkey demos amid NATO accession bid

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden is bracing for demonstrations that could complicate its efforts to persuade Turkey to approve its NATO accession. A far-right activist from Denmark has received permission from police to stage a protest on Saturday outside the Turkish Embassy, where he intends to burn the Quran, Islam’s holy book. Meanwhile, both pro-Turkish and pro-Kurdish groups are planning demonstrations in the Swedish capital. Turkey has blocked Sweden and Finland’s bids to join NATO, which needs approval by all member states, saying Sweden in particular needs to crack down on Kurdish and other groups that Ankara considers as terrorists.