Thousands protest racism, neo-Nazi violence in Swedish capital
Thousands took to the streets of the Swedish capital Stockholm to protests against racism and respond to a neo-Nazis assault on a similar, but smaller, demonstration last week, when 2 people were stabbed.
A group 30 neo-Nazis attacked an anti-racism rally in the city’s
suburb of Karrtorp last weekend, throwing bottles and
firecrackers at the demonstrators and stabbing two people.
Demonstrators gathered again in Karrtorp on Sunday, with
organizers saying that around 16,000 came to protest the
aggressive actions of the nationalists.
The crowd chanted “End racism now” and “No racists
on our streets”, with left-wing politicians and musicians
appearing on the stage, erected on a football pitch, Reuters
reports.
"It feels as though the square has been taken back. It shows
that there are many of us who believe in democracy and
nonviolence," Jonas Sjostedt, Left party leader, told TT
news agency.
The police said that “preventive measures” were taken to
ensure the rally goes on without incidents, with over 100
officers providing security during the protest.
The demonstration was more than just a protest against the
neo-Nazis, but an overall rejection of racism, the rally’s
organizers from Line 17 group said at press-conference ahead on
the event.
Similar protest marches were held in other Swedish cities on
Sunday, including Boras, Lulea, Malmo and Motala, The Local
reports.
Sweden, which was long considered one of the most tolerant
European countries, has recently witnessed a rise in sympathy for
the far rights due to the increasing immigration into the
country.
Anti-immigration party, Sweden Democrats, has reached around 10
percent in the polls ahead of a parliamentary election, scheduled
for September 2014.
Stockholm was hit by the worst riots in years this May as the
youth in mainly poor immigrant suburbs clashed with police and
burnt cars for over a week.
