In August, two elementary schools in Söderhamn with completely different student demographics were merged. According to parents, Norrtullskolan had almost exclusively students with immigrant backgrounds, while Vågbroskolan had a large majority of Swedish students. Now, a mother reports that her nine-year-old son was chased, knocked to the ground, and subjected to kicks and punches by six older students—and she directs strong criticism at the school management, where one of the principals is also an active politician for the Centre Party, which has been a driving force behind the merger.

The background to the heated situation at Vågbroskolan lies in the reorganization carried out before the autumn term. The activities at Norrtullskolan and Vågbroskolan were merged, and students who previously attended both schools were gathered at Vågbroskolan.

According to parents, the difference between the schools was considerable. Johanna Lindberg, whose nine-year-old son Anders—whose real name is different—is in third grade, describes Norrtullskolan as a school with almost only students with immigrant backgrounds, while Vågbroskolan mainly had Swedish students.

– At Norrtullskolan, it has almost only been immigrant children. No one wants to have their kids there because it has been so noisy and problematic. Now the municipality has decided to merge these two schools, she says.

The merger is the outcome of several years of political process. During this mandate period, Söderhamn has been governed in minority by the Moderate Party, Centre Party, Christian Democrats, and Liberals.

As early as 2023, the municipal council decided on a new school structure which, according to the municipality, was to create a “more equitable school.”

In the spring of 2025, the children and education committee decided to move forward with relocating the students. Committee chair Margareta Högberg (C) said it was time to “create equity and achieve a good composition of students.”

The result was that the F–5 operations of Norrtullskolan and Vågbroskolan were merged at Vågbroskolan at the start of the autumn term in 2026. The differences between the schools had also been significant in terms of results. According to the municipality’s children’s report for 2023, 37 percent of sixth graders at Norrtull achieved high school eligibility. At Vågbro, the corresponding number was 82 percent.

According to Johanna, the merger has been a topic of debate among parents for several years. She describes the background as a project to mix students from both schools and increase integration.

Since the merger was carried out in August, she believes the situation has deteriorated dramatically.

– After these two schools merged in August, it has been a disaster. I have received so many messages from angry parents who have experienced similar things.

Then five more kids showed up. And then they started chasing Anders and his friend. They caught up to him and knocked him to the ground, kicked and hit him from the waist down.

Mother Johanna Lindberg, Söderhamn

It is against this background that an incident on the schoolyard is now triggering strong reactions.

READ ALSO: REPORTAGE: The Social Democrats Forcibly Move Swedish Children for “Integration”

Chased Across the Schoolyard

In a widely discussed Facebook post, Johanna recounts how Anders was allegedly chased across the schoolyard by six older students, dragged by his clothes, knocked to the ground, and subjected to kicks and punches.

Despite the presence of playground supervisors, Anders, according to his mother, managed to break free and seek help from an adult on his own.
His clothes were torn and he got bruises on his legs.

In the Facebook post, Johanna also describes how her son later had to recount the incident when the family filed a police report themselves.

“When they knocked me down, I closed my eyes as tightly as I could because I was so terribly scared,” the nine-year-old reportedly said.

Johanna is particularly critical of what she describes as the school’s lack of immediate action. According to her, the other students were back in school the next day, while Anders did not want to return.

READ ALSO: The Social Democrats’ Plan for Sweden: The Population Must Be Mixed

“It Actually Started the Day Before”

When Samnytt speaks with Johanna, she explains that the background to the event was a conflict the day before. Anders had come home and said he’d been called a racist following an argument among some kids on the schoolyard.

One of the other students allegedly claimed that Anders had used a racist slur. Johanna disputes this and says that both her son and a friend gave the same account of what led up to the conflict.

READ ALSO: Arab Threatened to Shove Gun in Student’s Mouth – The Class Was Called “Racists” When Police Arrived

The situation escalated sharply the following day.

What has Anders told you about the incident itself?

– Then five more kids showed up. And then they started chasing Anders and his friend. They caught up to him and knocked him to the ground, kicked and hit him from the waist down.

Johanna estimates that the students were in fourth and fifth grade, while Anders is in third. She says the group was mixed, roughly half Swedish and half with immigrant backgrounds.

He broke free and made it to one of the playground supervisors. But even then, when he stood with the adults, children came over and continued to kick him.

Mother Johanna Lindberg, Söderhamn

The chase, according to her, went on across a large part of the schoolyard. The principal later told her that three playground supervisors were outside at the time.

– The fact that no one saw this is just awful.

Anders reportedly managed to break free twice. He eventually made it to a playground supervisor. But according to his mother, the attack did not immediately stop even then.

– He broke free and made it to one of the playground supervisors. But even there, when he was standing with the adults, kids walked up and continued to kick him.

READ ALSO: S-politician on Forced Mixing: “In a country, people need to mix”

Anders did not seek medical care after the incident. According to his mother, he had bruises on his legs, holes in his jeans, and his hoodie had ripped at the seams.

The Family Filed a Police Report Themselves

Johanna says that Principal Åsa Larsson tried to call her the same day, but instead got in touch with her husband. When Johanna later tried to contact the principal, she claims she got no answer.

The next day, she therefore accompanied Anders to school. According to Johanna, the students involved were present, but the principal was at another school for a meeting.

Johanna then took her son and sought out the principal herself.

What information did you get when you asked what measures had been taken?

– Basically, there were no measures.

She also asked if the school had reported the incident to the police.

– She said no, “we judged that it was not necessary.”

When Johanna asked how bad it would have to get before the school regarded a police report as necessary, she says she didn’t get an answer. The family then went to the police station and filed a report on their own. The school later also reported the incident to the police.

READ ALSO: The Big Lie of Forced Mixing—People Are Not Interchangeable

Anders Was to Adapt

After the mother confronted the school management, an action plan was drawn up. But even that drew a reaction from the parents. According to Johanna, the initial plan included, among other things, that Anders would have an adult with him in situations where he risked meeting the other students, and that he would eat at a different time.

– Why is he the one who has to adapt to these kids?

The parents questioned why restrictions were placed on the boy who was allegedly the victim, instead of the other pupils. After their protests, the school, according to Johanna, changed those parts of the plan.

– They should not even be at the school. And if they are, they shouldn’t be around other people.

READ ALSO: Researcher: Forced mixing will not eradicate segregation

The school has, after the incident, also filed a report with social services and a harassment report, according to Johanna. But she believes these actions only came after she herself pressured the school management.

No Follow-Up

Anders has stayed home from school after the incident.

How is Anders today?

– I think he’s doing pretty well, says Johanna.

I think the school should have suspended these students. I don’t think there’s any place in school for kids who behave like this. And also, for Anders’ safety. These six students perhaps shouldn’t even be together. Maybe separate them into three different schools. The victim should be the one who gets help here. He should not be the one who suffers.

Mother Johanna Lindberg, Söderhamn

But she doesn’t know how her son will react when he meets the other students again.

– I’m going to stay with him at school all week.

READ ALSO: Forced mixing does not solve segregation, says professor

Johanna also reacts to what she describes as a lack of care and follow-up from the school management.

– There’s just no follow-up. How is Anders? Does Anders need to talk to someone? I think once, at our last meeting, she asked how Anders felt.

Johanna says the school merger was met with protests from parents even before it happened. She believes problems have grown much worse since the change and says she has received many messages from other parents about incidents and insecurity.

She has now filed a complaint with the Swedish Schools Inspectorate and contacted the municipality. In addition, she has started a petition among guardians whose children have felt unsafe since the term began in August.

– I think the list will be pretty long when we submit it. Then they’ll clearly see how the children feel at this school.

Wants to See Suspensions

Johanna feels that the school’s measures are still insufficient.

What does the school need to do for you and, above all, for Anders to feel safe about him returning?

– I think the school should have suspended those students. I don’t think students should be allowed in school if they act like this. And much for Anders’ safety.

READ ALSO: Per Gudmundson: “Forced mixing will be carried out—by law”

She also believes the group should be split up.

– Maybe these six students shouldn’t even be together. Maybe put them in three different schools. After all, the victim must be the one who is helped. He should not be the one who suffers.

Johanna compares the situation to what would have happened in a normal workplace.

– Imagine if these were your employees doing this—if six adults chased another adult employee. They wouldn’t be at work the next day.

The Principal: “You Don’t Have the Whole Picture”

When Samnytt contacts Carin Engblom, the other principal at Vågbroskolan and active Centre Party politician in Söderhamn, she initially declines to give the school’s perspective. Instead, she asks, among other things, where Samnytt’s reporter is located and where the information comes from.

– Not right now, actually, she replies when Samnytt requests her version of the school’s perspective.

If you’re going to file a police report, you need to know: What are we reporting? So we investigate first before filing a police report to ensure it’s correct. If you think about it, if you had your own children, you wouldn’t want the school to file an incorrect report about your child.

Carin Engblom, principal, Vågbroskolan, Söderhamn

Engblom says the school will communicate with guardians and is following its routines. She repeatedly urges Samnytt to send questions in writing instead.

When Samnytt brings up Johanna’s claim that the school management is trying to “sweep the incident under the rug,” Engblom responds:

Are you trying to sweep the incident under the rug?

– No, we don’t want that. We want to address the incident just as we do when things like this happen. We follow our routines, which are based both on the Education Act and the curriculum.

READ ALSO: “Forced mixing is already reality” – Staffanstorp’s Sonesson warns about S-strategy

Engblom also explains why a police report was not filed immediately.

– If you’re going to report something to the police, you need to know exactly what you’re reporting. So we investigate first to make sure the report is correct.

She describes a police report as a “quite powerful measure.”

– If you put yourself in the situation of having your own children, you wouldn’t want the school to file an incorrect report about your child.

According to Engblom, the school also sought police guidance on how to proceed.

In her Facebook post, Johanna recounted how, after her son’s recorded police interview ended, a police officer reportedly said: “The school should damn well be ashamed.”

When Samnytt asks Engblom about the claim, she replies:

– That’s for the police to answer for. The individual officer stands by that statement.

READ ALSO: Student Assaulted Three Teachers in Two Weeks—Remains in School Without Action

The conversation becomes noticeably more strained when Samnytt tries to get answers about what actions were actually taken regarding the students involved. Engblom repeatedly refers Samnytt to submit questions in writing.

Why were there no consequences for these students?

– Well, you have read what it says there, but you don’t have the whole picture.

Samnytt explains that the information is not just from the Facebook post and asks Engblom to explain what’s missing.

If you have a different perspective, what is it?

Engblom does not elaborate on what she considers incorrect or incomplete.

– No, the idea is that you send your questions to me, and we will answer them.

But were there any consequences?

– Send the questions to me, and I’ll respond in writing. You may send that question.

Engblom does not provide an answer during the interview about what consequences, if any, the involved students faced.

Celebrated the Merger with Cake

The same week Anders and his parents sat in meetings with the school management about the incident, the school, according to Johanna, celebrated the merger on Friday afternoon.

– They were out in the schoolyard having cake because the merger had supposedly gone so well. Yet the same morning, we sat with a nine-year-old who had been assaulted at school.

– I really don’t know what they are celebrating.

READ ALSO: Disruptive Student Removed by Teacher—Deemed Offensive by Authority Demanding Damages

At least, one can require more reporting obligation from principals. Things must come to light, so problems can be addressed. // If problems arise, one must at least ask if it was a good solution. Then perhaps other solutions should be considered. // Suspend these boys for a few days at the very least. Launch an investigation. There must be consequences.

Rino Hedblom (SD), Söderhamn Municipality

SD Politician: “At the Expense of a Generation”

The Sweden Democrats opposed the new school structure from the outset. Rino Hedblom (SD), one of the politicians who objected, describes the merging of student groups as an integration project.

Why were you against the decision back then?

– We believe it is an integration project, rather than anything else. And I believe there are other ways to achieve integration. I actually suggested shutting down Norrtullskolan instead.

Hedblom points to the wide differences between the schools before the merger. According to him, Vågbroskolan had the municipality’s best academic results and was a well-functioning school, while the situation at Norrtull was completely different.

– I think it’s at the expense of a generation, so to speak.

Hedblom says he learned about the incident involving nine-year-old Anders shortly after it happened and raised it at a preparation meeting the following day.

– I brought it up with the chair and the sector manager. Neither of them had heard anything about it.

READ ALSO: Armed Threats and Violence in Schools Continue to Rise

According to Hedblom, it is important that incidents at schools reach responsible politicians and officials.

– At the very least, more reporting obligation should be required from principals. Things must be brought to light so problems can be addressed.

If violence, harassment, and insecurity have increased after the merger, he believes the municipality must be prepared to reconsider the arrangement.

– If problems arise, you must at least ask yourself whether it was a good solution. Then perhaps other solutions need to be considered.

Asked by Samnytt how the school should have acted following this incident, Hedblom is clear:

– Suspend those boys at least for a few days. Start an investigation. There must be consequences.