Stockholm Pride Under Fire for Pedophilia Accusations Made by Swedish Politician
Earlier this week, Stockholm Pride, an annual event aimed at bringing LGBTQ issues to the forefront, kicked off in the Swedish capital. However, the event has now sparked controversy and attracted the attention of several politicians.
One of the politicians who spoke at the event was Speaker of the Riksdag, Andreas Norlén (M), during the opening of the Pride Park festival area. Ulf Kristersson (M), the leader of the Moderate Party, also joined in by decorating the prime minister’s residence with a rainbow flag.
However, Björn Söder, a Member of Parliament for the Sweden Democrats and chairman of the Swedish delegation to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), expressed rage over these events. In a series of now-deleted posts on social media, Söder accused the pride movement of having close links to pedophilia.
“That the Speaker and Prime Minister legitimize pedophilia is completely unacceptable,” Söder wrote in one of the posts.
These statements made by Söder have faced strong criticism from several government representatives. Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M) and Integration Minister Johan Pehrson (L) both publicly expressed their disapproval of Söder’s claims.
Pehrson, who is also the Minister of Labor Markets and Integration, took to social media to condemn Söder’s remarks. “What an incomparable drivel. Intolerance is un-Swedish. In my Sweden, you can love who you want and be who you are,” he wrote.
Foreign Minister Billström also criticized Söder’s comments, stating that Pride is “a celebration of everyone’s right to love who they want and live as they are”. He called Söder’s actions “despicable, undignified, and wrong” and demanded an apology.
As of now, it is unclear if Söder will issue an apology or provide further clarification regarding his accusations.
Stockholm Pride, which aims to promote inclusivity and acceptance of the LGBTQ community, has faced significant backlash due to the controversial claims made by a prominent Swedish politician. The event continues, and organizers hope that it will remain focused on its original purpose of advocating for LGBTQ rights.
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