Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Swedish neo-Nazis stage biggest ever march in wake of Donald Trump victory

600 far-right demonstrators from Sweden’s Nordic Resistance Movement clashed with anti-fascist protestors in Stockholm

Lucy Pasha-Robinson
Sunday 13 November 2016 16:17 GMT
Comments
Right-wing group protests in Sweden

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Violence erupted in Stockholm on Saturday as neo-Nazis took to the capital’s streets following Donald Trump’s election victory.

As many as 600 far-right demonstrators from Sweden’s Nordic Resistance Movement (NMR) marched towards Sweden’s parliament in the historic district of Gamla Stan, in the biggest march in the group’s history.

Five people were arrested and two were injured after violence broke out between the demonstrators and anti-fascist protest groups.

A police spokesman said a number of people were held due to aggression and that approximately 50 had been suspended or removed from the march.

At least one police officer was injured during the clash and several people were taken away from the scene in ambulances.

According to sources at the scene, the anti-racism protesters easily outnumbered the NMR marchers, and started pelting them with snowballs and fireworks.

Police officers treat an injured protester (Getty)
Police officers treat an injured protester (Getty) (JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images)

“A lot of loose objects, including snow, ice, bangers and fireworks of various kinds have been thrown,” a police spokesman said.

“I have not heard that anyone has been harmed, but it is possible that they have been.”

The NMR was set up in 1997 by former members of the White Aryan Resistance and employees of Folktribunen, a neo-National socialist magazine.

The group, which promotes openly racist and anti-Semitic views and vocally opposes non-white immigration to the country, is considered the figurehead for Sweden’s white power movement.

According to sources at the scene, the NMR announced Donald Trump’s election was a sign that a “world revolution was beginning”.

Vera Oredsson, who was a member of the Hitler youth as a child growing up in Nazi Germany, was also said to have delivered a speech.

Reports also suggest the crowd chanted “hang them, hand them” when a speech was made about splitting up Bonnier, the Swedish media empire, owned by one of Sweden’s richest jewish families.

Norwegian neo-Nazis were also in attendance at the rally, who last month told a Scandinavian news channel they considered Adolf Hitler to be a role model and denied the holocaust ever happening.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in