An air freshener with ties to the Sweden Democrats’ party leader Jimmie Åkesson has caused a stir in Stenungsund Municipality. After pictures of a municipal vehicle were circulated, the municipality has now issued a clear statement against the incident in a press release.

It was on Tuesday that images and video clips began spreading, showing an SD-themed air freshener in one of the municipality’s service vehicles, which are used by non-political officials in their daily work.

In the vehicle, there was an air freshener with the text “Go Jimmie” and a picture of Jimmie Åkesson, sold through the SD webshop. Social Democrat Olof Lundberg is the chair of the municipal executive board in Stenungssund and does not take the air freshener in the municipal car lightly.

– It is not acceptable to have political propaganda, regardless of party, in municipal vehicles, he told Aftonbladet and continued:

– I was disappointed in the employees who had it, I was.

After the images spread, Stenungsund Municipality released a statement distancing itself from the incident and emphasized that it was an isolated case.

The municipality’s communications officer, Johan Lindgren, says they take the incident seriously, especially in terms of public trust. He further describes the air freshener event as “very regrettable.”

According to the municipality, they have been in contact with the employee who put up the air freshener in the car. The item has now been removed and the internal rules have been clarified. It is still unclear what possible consequences the event may have for the employee who hung the air freshener.

The municipality’s communications officer, Johan Lindgren, told the Social Democrat-affiliated newspaper that he currently does not know how the matter will be handled going forward.