Sweden’s government suspects that actors from abroad incited violent riots in several Swedish cities last week, according to the country’s justice minister.
Crowds threw rocks and burned cars and trash cans after a Danish far-right provocateur announced plans to hold meetings in Sweden. Rasmus Paludan has burned copies of the Quran at events in Denmark where he also bashes Islam, and the news he wanted to do the same in Sweden sparked anger.
Paludan, who holds dual Danish-Swedish citi-zenship, “seems for some reason to hate Sweden and try to harm Sweden. I do not understand why” Jus-tice Minister Morgan Johansson said.
In an interview with Swedish newspaper Afton-bladet published Wednesday, Johansson referred to online claims that surfaced earlier this year about Swedish social service agencies allegedly kidnapping Muslim children.
“There are many signs that they have been run-ning here as well, campaigning and supporting this in various ways,” the minister said.
The Foreign Ministry in Stockholm posted a Twitter thread in February devoted to what it termed “a disinformation campaign.” —AP
