Demonstrators throw stones at police during a riot in the Rosengard neighbourhood of Malmo, Sweden August 28, 2020. (Photo via Reuters)

Violence in Malmo: A riot broke out on Friday in the southern Swedish town of Malmo, where at least 300 people had gathered to protest against anti-Islam activities, police said. Protesters were throwing objects at police officers and car tyres had been set on fire, a police spokesman said.

Earlier in the day, a copy of the Quran had been burned in Malmo by right-wing extremists.

Malmo riots: Staff from the City of Malmo clear up broken glass from one of about 15 broken bus shelters at Rosengard in Malmo, Sweden, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)

“We don’t have this under control but we are working actively to take control,” the spokesman said. “We see a connection between what is happening now and what happened earlier today,” he said.

Malmo riots: A burnt out truck is seen in Malmo, Sweden, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)

The demonstrations had escalated in the same place where the Quran had been burned, the spokesman said.

Daily Aftonbladet said several anti-Islam activities had taken place in Malmo on Friday, including three men kicking a copy of the Quran between them in a public square.

Malmo riots: Smoke billows from burning tyres and pallets and fireworks as a few hundred protesters riot in the Rosengard neighbourhood of Malmo, Sweden, Friday, Aug. 28, 2020.  (TT News Agency via AP)

The anti-Islam protests occurred after Rasmus Paludan, leader of Danish far-right political party Hard Line, had been denied permission to have a meeting in Malmo and was stopped at the Swedish border, according to the newspaper.