Sverigedemokraterna’s campaign workers in Malmö have, for several years, been able to campaign relatively undisturbed. But following an attack at Triangeln this weekend, the party is now tightening security. Personal alarms are being ordered, routines are being reviewed, and concerns are being raised about whether the election campaign risks being marked again by threats, sabotage, and political violence. According to SD, those responsible were individuals coming from a demonstration organized by the Communist Party in Malmö.

It was on Saturday that four campaign workers from the Sweden Democrats were at Triangeln in Malmö. Three of them were reportedly targeted.
Anders Olin, chairman of SD Malmö, was not personally present but has spoken to those affected.

– There was one person who pushed one of the older gentlemen quite hard. Along with a verbal spit: “You have no right to exist. You are Nazis and fascists. You shouldn’t exist at all,” he tells Samnytt.

A woman in the group was also reportedly spat on. When the campaign workers left the area, another person followed them on an electric scooter.

– As they were leaving the square, a guy on an electric scooter caught up with them and started hurling verbal abuse as well. Then he snatched campaign flyers from their hands and sped off.

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There are no photos or videos of the incident, which according to Olin makes both evidence and follow-up more difficult.

– That’s the problem. These three were older. The youngest was born in 1961. They don’t use mobile phones the same way young people do, he says.

I was surprised that this happened now, considering it has been so calm since 2018. But unfortunately, in light of what is happening in the USA and to some extent in England, I think we will see similar developments in Sweden.

Anders Olin (SD), Malmö

He believes the party in hindsight wishes the campaign workers had contacted the police immediately on the spot.

– If I’m to be critical, it was that they didn’t call the police right away, but contacted us instead. We would have preferred they got in touch with the police directly so that a police report could have been made on site.

A police report has now been filed after the fact.

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Is it true, as Sydsvenskan wrote, that it was likely people from the Communist Party demonstration who attacked SD’s campaign workers?

– Yes, but whether they were involved with the party itself or just sympathized with it, we don’t know. Our colleagues say they came from the demonstration organized by the Communist Party at the square.

“I was surprised this happened now”

In light of the third attempted murder of Donald Trump in the USA, do you see a risk that the same kind of political violence could take root in Sweden, for example in terms of security for Jimmie Åkesson?

– I remember when Kent Ekeroth attended an event we had in Malmö. They had to close off the entire pedestrian street. We had snipers on the roofs, police everywhere, and bangers were thrown at us. We’ve been through all that. He continues:

– The younger people today haven’t experienced that.

But since the 2018 election, the climate, according to Olin, has been calmer.

– From the 2018 election onwards, it’s been better. The worst we’ve had to deal with is people saying: “No way, I want nothing to do with that shit.” And I have no problem with that.

That’s why the attack at Triangeln came as a surprise.

– I was surprised that this happened now, considering it has been so calm since 2018. But unfortunately, in light of what’s happening in the US and also to some extent in England, I think we’ll see similar developments in Sweden.

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Many on the left, both in Sweden and the US, praise the attempted murder of Trump and express regret he wasn’t killed. How do you comment on that from SD’s perspective?

– The problem I wrestle with in this situation is that I have to be able to run an election campaign and go out and speak to my voters – knowing at the same time that there’s a problem. Olin continues:

– I also know that if I express my own concern, it can lead to our representatives becoming afraid and not daring to campaign, which would mean we can’t carry out an election campaign. And then politics is silenced instead. He elaborates:

– I struggle with the problem of perhaps scaring my own people. And that’s a big dilemma.

I don’t think people vote for us because they get a flyer. I think it’s the conversation with people that makes the difference. // If you start avoiding certain places because it might get difficult, then we’ve already started compromising our democratic ability to spread our message.

Anders Olin (SD), Malmö

Can one then conclude that this violence can have an impact?

– Yes, but we will not stop meeting people in the streets and squares. We need to reach out to people and will not tiptoe around our democratic rights.

Personal Alarms and New Routines

After the incident, SD Malmö has ordered personal alarms for its campaign groups.

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– Our task now is to make it as difficult as possible for others to target us without it getting attention, says Olin.

At the same time, he describes another dilemma. The more security equipment is introduced, the more it could scare away the party’s own members from taking part.

– If I’m to go out campaigning, do I need an alarm, defense spray, and a body camera to feel safe? Then the opposite effect may happen, that people won’t want to help out.

The party is also considering body cameras, but Olin sees risks there as well.

– If we are standing and talking to a voter who is genuinely interested, and the campaign worker is filming, that could have a negative effect.

Wants to See Visible Surveillance Cameras

Olin states that SD Malmö is in contact with the municipality’s security department, but believes the practical responsibility lies with the police.

– The municipality’s security department has done its part. They have briefed us, given us contact methods, and said we should report incidents and threats to the police.

For the election campaign, he now wants the police to consider mobile surveillance cameras at the party tents.

– I will request that the police place a mobile surveillance camera right in the middle of the square, centered at the party tents. Just to prevent sabotage, he tells Samnytt.

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He believes sabotage of party tents might return.

– We haven’t seen sabotage for many years now. But I think it’s something that will return. That people will spray graffiti on party tents and sabotage them.

But conversations with voters are, according to him, central.

– I don’t think people vote for us because they get a flyer. I think it’s conversations with people that make the difference.

But if the party starts avoiding certain places for security reasons, then violence is having an effect, he believes.

– If you start avoiding certain places because it might be difficult, we have also started to compromise our democratic ability to spread our message.

Is there a risk that this violence could escalate now during the election year?

– Yes, I think so, but also that the unrest we’re seeing in the country and worldwide at the moment will have an impact. With Palestine demonstrations we’ve seen since before the EU election campaign, polarization, and the fact that SD often becomes a target. He continues:

– Above all, it is the Jewish groups and we in SD who have had problems with these. Olin continues:

– I think that what is happening around the world will rub off on us. People will see us as the ones on the other side, as opponents.

ALSO READ: Palestinian activists assaulted Swedes at demonstration: “They said racist things”

The attack at Triangeln was physically limited. But the consequences risk being greater than that. Every incident that causes people to think twice about standing in a square, handing out a flyer, or having a conversation shifts the boundary of what is possible in public spaces.

And it is just there, Anders Olin argues, that the effect happens.

– Then politics is silenced instead.