SD Politician's Horses Slashed: "You Will Die, Racist"

Nearly three years ago, Sweden Democrats’ group leader in Örnsköldsvik, Jenny Voittonen, received a threat letter that said: “You will die, racist.” Now, her farm has been targeted again. Over the past year, several of her animals have been subjected to brutal attacks.

Last winter, Voittonen discovered one of her chickens with its head cut off and placed in the mailbox. Several other chickens had been killed inside the enclosure. A few months later, one of her horses was also injured. The animal had deep cuts on its foreleg. During the summer, another attack occurred when a horse was found with a deep wound on its forehead.

All incidents have been reported to the police, but no suspects have been apprehended yet. The attacks have taken place at Voittonen’s farm in Trehörningsjö.

— In my world, whoever is capable of doing something like this is completely insane. If you’ve crossed the line to attack a horse, you’re not far from attacking a child, she told Örnsköldsviks Allehanda.

Voittonen says the events affect her, but that she does not want to let the threats limit her political engagement, emphasizing that democracy must be defended at any cost.

She suspects the attacks may be politically motivated.

— I can’t see it being anything else. Without knowing for sure, there are a lot of jihad-like elements to it, but that’s just speculation on my part.

Personal

No other Sweden Democrat politician in Örnsköldsvik has experienced anything similar. Physical attacks against politicians’ animals are very rare in Sweden overall.

She notes that threats and hate are common against many politicians, but these attacks are on another level with a more personal touch.

The injured horses have received veterinary care, which has resulted in expensive bills, but they have now recovered.