A top Swedish politician called domestic pro-Palestinian activists “barbarians” on Wednesday after they harassed a fellow cabinet member in Stockholm.
“Activists are now behaving like barbarians when they restrict other people’s freedom of speech,” Swedish Energy Minister Ebba Busch wrote on X. “In Sweden, we have a long tradition of freedom of speech and democracy. This is now under threat.”
On Monday night, several pro-Palestinian activists harassed Civil Defense Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin as he was returning home from a meeting. In a video Bohlin filmed himself, the activists can be seen following him, shouting “Shame on you!”
Bohlin then returned to the parliament building to avoid leading the activists to his home.
Speaking on the Morgonstudion program on the SVT public broadcaster, the morning after the incident, Bohlin said the behavior of the protesters was “not normal” and warned: “What is the next boundary this group of people will cross?” He also called for the country’s authorities to stand “shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish minority.”
Busch, who leads the Christian Democrats, a junior partner in the country’s ruling coalition, said she expects the police to take action against those “who do not respect the rules of democracy,” and proposed stronger legislation to protect politicians. Svenska Dagbladet reported that police are investigating the incident.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson wrote on X that he expects “all parties to distance themselves from the mob tactics,” adding a warning for Palestinian activists in Stockholm: “You are welcome to express your opinion on the Middle East. But immediately stop threatening Swedish politicians!”
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