Antisemitic attacks and protests have been taking place across Sweden since Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, but Jews in the Scandinavian country say they have been under attack for years.
Last week saw an arson attack on a synagogue in Gothenburg and an attempted arson attack at a Jewish cemetery in Malmö, Sweden’s second and third-largest cities respectively.
Demonstrations involving hundreds of people in Malmö and the capital Stockholm saw protesters shouting antisemitic slurs and threatening terror attacks on Israel.
Two days after the United States recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, around 200 people attended a demonstration in Malmö at which some participants chanted anti-Jewish slogans.
Participants shouted: ‘We have declared an intifada from Malmö. We want our freedom back and we will shoot the Jews.’
A demonstration in the capital Stockholm this week saw hundreds carrying Palestine and Turkish flags chanting ‘we march on Jerusalem, millions of martyrs’ and ‘Oh Jews, the Army of Muhammad will return.’
The crowd gathered for a speech in Arabic, during which the speaker branded the Jewish people ‘the descendants of cows and pigs’, after which participants burned the Israeli flag.
The recent incidents have been condemned by Swedish prime minister Stefan Löfven and other top politicians, and authorities increased security around the synagogue and at Jewish centres in Stockholm and Malmö.
The European Jewish Congress said it was ‘unconscionable that Jews are under attack on the streets of Europe’ and urged Swedish and other European governments to take ‘strong punitive action’ against perpetrators.
Lofven said: ‘I’m terribly upset over the attack on a synagogue in Gothenburg yesterday and calls for violence against Jews at a demonstration in Malmo.’
‘There is no place for antisemitism in our Swedish society. The perpetrators will be held accountable.’
He urged ‘all democratic forces’ in Sweden to work together to create ‘a tolerant and open society where everyone feels safe.’
