Hundreds of people gathered in Stockholm today after Sweden’s Left Party called to protest against the far-right, according to an AFP journalist.
The demonstration was held in response to Wednesday’s attack on a theater in Gubbegen, a southern suburb of the Swedish capital, where a conference described as an “anti-fascist event” was being held, organized by the Left Party and the Greens.
According to the anti-fascist organization Expo, which had been invited there to make a presentation, “a group of Nazis” entered the foyer shortly before the start of the conference, threw smoke bombs into the room and attacked people attending the event.
Today up to 600 people gathered outside the same theater – according to a police officer at the scene who was interviewed by AFP – to demonstrate and express their anger.
The situation “is serious when far-right groups start to attack open dialogue” within society, Nusi Daggostar, president of the Left Party, told the crowd.
Children were present in the theater on Wednesday and may have been injured, he said as the crowd chanted “No pasaran!” (They won’t pass!). “All children have the right to grow up in a safe country. We have to make sure we stay united,” he said.
The other two opposition parties (the Social Democrats and the Greens) were also present.
“A new boundary was breached on Wednesday,” Magdalena Andersson, the head of the Social Democrats, told the protesters.
They want to “put an end to the democratic dialogue.” What does not fit into their authoritarian framework cannot exist”, he added. “Every day we will defend our democracy”.
After Wednesday’s attack, three people were taken to hospital by ambulance, according to police.
“For someone to attack a gathering where people are making brioche, drinking coffee and organizing a conference … it’s scary and disturbing,” said Annika Anderson, a 63-year-old worker.
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