Eleven people are suspected of incitement against a population group following a far-right demonstration in Stockholm on Sunday. The event, organized by Alternativ för Sverige in Kungsträdgården, marked the death anniversary of Karl XII. Police report suspicions of Hitler salutes and chants of 'hell seger', but no arrests have been made.
Two far-right manifestations took place in Stockholm over the weekend. On Saturday, 70–100 black-clad and masked individuals marched through the streets in an unauthorized gathering organized by the Nazi group Aktivklubb Sverige. They chanted slogans like 'Sweden for the Swedes', leading to four police reports for unlawful assembly but no other crime suspicions.
On Sunday, December 1, 2024 – the day after Karl XII's death anniversary on November 30 – Alternativ för Sverige held a demonstration in Kungsträdgården. About a dozen people are now suspected of crimes linked to the event, primarily incitement against a population group. Eleven individuals are specifically suspected of expressing contempt toward a population group by chanting 'hell seger' at Karl XII's Square and the Gamla Stan subway station. A handful are also suspected of performing the Hitler salute, per two separate cases.
– Eleven people are suspected of expressing contempt by chanting 'hell seger', says Mats Eriksson, police spokesperson for the Stockholm region. – We have a report of incitement against a population group, and this seems to have occurred at different locations.
In addition to the hate crimes, there is a report of attempted gross theft, where a man in his 20s was arrested but later released. A counter-demonstration occurred simultaneously, and police had prepared for the event given its annual significance to the far right. Suspects range from 20 to 60 years old.
Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer commented on Saturday's march: – The government views all forms of violence-affirming extremism very seriously, especially that cultivated in far-right environments. It involves utterly abhorrent views and groups that often serve as platforms for radicalization and violence.