Swedish man charged for honking at mosque

[soulcrusher]

Seems an odd thing to be taken to court for? http://m.thelocal.se/49902/20130828/

Swedish prosecutors have decided to charge a 22-year-old man for honking his horn outside the Fittja mosque in Stockholm, citing his intention to disturb the Muslim congregation.

Prosecutor Christina Weilander filed the charges with Södertörn district court on August 23rd, pertaining to an incident outside the mosque on May 3rd - the second Friday that the mosque used its minaret to broadcast the call to prayer since Swedish police allowed congregation leaders to proceed.

Two witnesses were cited in the document filed with the district court.

The 22-year-old is being charged with "störande av förrättning", the crime of intentionally disrupting a religious or spiritual ceremony - including weddings and funerals. It also outlaws disturbing court cases and certain state proceedings, and is punishable with up to six months in jail according to Sweden's penal code.

[Ave07]

Seriously they charged him for that? And possibly jailed for six months?!

[Very Tired]

The mosque cut him off.

[Deleted]

Sweden

Nothing new to see here. Europe's first caliphate is already beginning to show its roots, it seems.

[Deleted]

Hey if it's the law, then it's the law. Laws are diferemt depending on the country and if in Sweeden honking the horn outside of a religious building during a ceremony is a crime, then he just has to pay for it...

[Deleted]

Oh look, someone intentionally causing a disturbance getting punished. Who would have thought?

[Mormolyce]

They should've taken down that "honk if you're pious" sign out the front.

Sounds like this guy was deliberately creating a disturbance. Shrug.

[Velaniz]

Was he deliberately doing that?

Even so, I don't think he should be charged for more than mischief. That's essentially what it was. 6 months in jail is way too overkill.

[PolarVargen]

Oh look, someone intentionally causing a disturbance getting punished. Who would have thought?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjrlGgXLXHI

Causing a disturbance is okey in sweden. You know, as long as you are on the right side of things

[Deleted]

Was he deliberately doing that?

Even so, I don't think he should be charged for more than mischief. That's essentially what it was. 6 months in jail is way too overkill.

We're talking about the same country that had 11 muslim refugees rape a mother of two for 8 hours straight (to the point that she lost touch with reality and is now confined to a wheelchair) and refused to deport them because it would be considered "racist." Only 7 of them were jailed, too.

[soulcrusher]

Tbh I'd find a minaret blaring out the call to prayer in Sweden more disturbing than someone honking a car horn.

[Kraenen]

Oh look, someone intentionally causing a disturbance getting punished. Who would have thought?

yeah the punishment clearly wasn't enough

- - - Updated - - -

Nothing new to see here. Europe's first caliphate is already beginning to show its roots, it seems.

isn't that supposed to be britain?

[Eyechewer]

Tbh I'd find a minaret blaring out the call to prayer in Sweden more disturbing than someone honking a car horn.

I'm very surprised to hear you say that Skurn tbh

[Deleted]

I'm very surprised to hear you say that Skurn tbh

That's such an immature thing to say. Stockholm is not a muslim city, of course the indigenous people should have the right to be ticked off about a foreign cultural practice intruding on their lives. I'm pretty sure if I set up a church in Riyadh and rang the bells I would get more than just angry car honks.

[v2prwsmb45yhuq3wj23vpjk]

Hey if it's the law, then it's the law. Laws are diferemt depending on the country and if in Sweeden honking the horn outside of a religious building during a ceremony is a crime, then he just has to pay for it...

Stupid laws should not be respected.

Whether this is a stupid law or not, however, is another story.

[Eyechewer]

That's such an immature thing to say. Stockholm is not a muslim city, of course the indigenous people should have the right to be ticked off about a foreign cultural practice intruding on their lives. I'm pretty sure if I set up a church in Riyadh and rang the bells I would get more than just angry car honks.

I didn't mean to offend or imply anything about Stockholm or any other city in sweden. I just always thought that Skurn is a muslim because of other things he posted in the past. Perhaps i jumped to conclusion.

[TheGravemind]

Blame the law. Sweden's fault for having such an asinine law.

[Ryuukon]

The article is pretty vague about his reasons for honking, just that it is "believed" he honked to disrupt service at the mosque, which he denied. The question is, did he actually do that, or did he honk at someone doing something stupid, like walking into traffic or changing lanes without looking? And even if he DID honk to "disrupt the service", who can tell for sure?

Sounds like a pretty stupid law to me unless they have 50 surveillance cameras that recorded the whole thing.

[Edit]

So apparently Swedes don't like horns...

http://www.thelocal.se/41014/20120524/

[s_bushido]

Was he deliberately doing that?

Even so, I don't think he should be charged for more than mischief. That's essentially what it was. 6 months in jail is way too overkill.

Seems like people always forget the "up to" part when reading about possible sentences.

It's kinda strange to have a law against "intentionally disrupting a religious or spiritual ceremony" specifically...more than just "causing a public disturbance" in general. But if that law is on the books, you should probably consider it before you start honking your horn outside a church. But given the way I've seen a number of Swedish posters talk about Muslims around here, it's not surprising that they'd be displeased about a mosque doing what a mosque does.

[Xarkan]

Seems an odd thing to be taken to court for? http://m.thelocal.se/49902/20130828/

Maybe but i am left wondering..

Are we supposed to think it is ok to deliberately and with malice go out of your way to distress and annoy people for having beliefs that are dissimilar to your own? Are we supposed to be fine with his actions? Now i am not Swedish but his sort offends me, i want some sort of signal sent to his sort that they should stop. Not sure if a risk of 6 months prison would fit it, fines probably would be more appropriate (also a fine for wrongful use of a car horn.. edit: oh i see in another article that apparently in Sweden it is allowed to leisurely use your horn, oh well, crazy Swedes)