Photo: Magnus Lejhall
From 15:00 on Sunday, the right-wing populist and xenophobic party Alternative for Sweden, AFS, organizes a torchlight procession from Riddarholm Church to Karl XII’s square in Kungsträdgården.
An anti-fascist counter-demonstration has been announced from 15.30 in Kungsträdgården.
Around 30-40 people are outside the church with lit torches at the start of the demonstration. There are mixed ages, many are in the older age range.
The police are on the scene.
Party leader Gustav Kasselstrand makes a short introductory speech.
He holds a wreath and calls on the participants to form a line of three.
The torch train begins to move – flanked by law enforcement officers.
The sympathizers are quiet and do not chant slogans.
The torch train has reached the Royal Garden and the statue of Charles XII.
Counter-protesters are heard chanting: “No racists on our streets”.
The party puts up two Swedish flags by the statue and Gustav Kasselstrand makes a speech.
– Welcome to this year’s Karl XII manifestation, today on November 30. I start it, according to tradition, by laying a wreath in front of the warrior king, says the party leader.
– A wreath, where it is written: With God’s help! In memory of Charles XII and his Carolines.
The counter-demonstrators are about 100 meters from AFS and police keep the groups apart.
The counter-demonstrators have swimsuits that, among other things, say “Nazi-free Stockholm” and “Racism shall be crushed” on them.
– Because if in the past it was the Swedish state, Sweden as a country that was under attack and at risk, today it is the entire Swedish people with the ongoing population exchange that our politicians are carrying out, says Gustav Kasselstrand.
After the speech, riots broke out after people entered the counter-demonstrators and the police detained at least one person.
The police also removed a couple of counter-protesters.
AFS has now left the site and counter-protesters are instead around the Karl XII statue.
