The city of Malmö, in southern Sweden, experienced a night of riots on Saturday April 16, following rallies denouncing the intention of a far-right group to burn a Koran. Protesters threw stones and Molotov cocktails at police officers and a city bus was set on fire, the daily reports Swedish daily newspaper.
According to AFP, the incidents erupted after a rally by the anti-immigration and anti-Islam movement Stram Kurs (“Hard Line”) led by Danish-Swedish Rasmus Paludan, who is currently organizing a tour of Sweden which was the origin of several clashes between the police and counter-demonstrators in several cities of the country.
The demonstration organized by Paludan, originally planned in Landskrona, had been moved to Malmö, the neighboring large city, in order to avoid overflows. The gathering, which included “speeches and the burning of a Koran”began around 5 p.m., explains Aftonbladet.
According to the Swedish tabloid, a large number of counter-protesters, whose anger is directed “against the authorization given to the Stram Kurs demonstration” more “perhaps also against the police and justice”gathered in Landskrona, where they threw stones and burned cars, and riots broke out in different parts of Malmö.
Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson condemns the violence
In recent days, other clashes have taken place in Stockholm and other cities where Stram Kurs rallies have been held or have been scheduled. Thursday 14 and Friday 15 April, “a dozen police officers were injured”underlines the German daily Bild. On April 14, rioters attacked law enforcement, damaged emergency vehicles and burned two police cars in Linköping, south-west of Stockholm. And the next day, new clashes involving nearly 500 demonstrators broke out in the city of Örebro, west of the Swedish capital. Four police vehicles burned there (see the video of the Swedish daily Expressen below).
But Rasmus Paludan intends to continue his tour, worries Swedish daily newspaper. This Sunday, April 17, he intended to gather his supporters in Linköping and Norrköping, while this time his demonstrations were banned by the authorities.
In any case, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson condemned the violence and defended the place of freedom of expression. As reported Bildshe said that“In Sweden people have the right to express their opinion, good or bad, it’s part of our democracy.” And to add: “No matter what you think, you should never resort to violence. We do not accept it and will never accept it.”