Far-right group interrupts Stockholm Pride because ‘family values are threatened’
Swedes partying at the Stockholm Pride parade in 2016 (Erik Nylander/AFP/Getty)
Far right activists admitting interrupting Pride in Stockholm, claiming that “traditional family values” are “threatened”.
Nordisk Ungdom, or Nordic Youth, admitted to attempting to interrupting the Pride event on Saturday.
Swedish minister for education Gustav Fridolin (L) and Swedish prime minister Stefan Loefven take part at the Pride parade, in Stockholm
Speaking to Göteborgs-Posten, spokesman Fredrik Hagberg confirmed that the group had attempted to counter protest during the festivities leading to a scuffle.
He said: “We were there to demonstrate against Pride. We need a critical voice that demonstrates in the name of the traditional family values.
We think that they are threatened. Pride encourages things that harm the traditional family values. It’s not about love any longer.
“I think you can have sex with whoever you want. But Pride encourages a culture that is extremely bad.”
He did not say whether the group would leave alone the Pride event for the rest of the day.
Spokesman for Stockholm Police, Lars Byström added: “A group presented a message that the audience did not like. A minor fight broke out before we could reach the location. We have taken a few people into custody now that will either be taken to the police station or removed from the premises”
It is suspected that the group have breached the Public Order Act by trying to demonstrate without permission.
Despite police having the situation under control, Expressen newspaper reporter Tomas Kvarnkullen said Pride-goers were “lucky” that something worse had not broken out.
He said: “There were only three or four police officers close by who tried to fend off the group. Police beat the group with batons.”
One of the men was wearing a Nordisk Ungdom shirt, but Kvarnkullen said it was unclear whether the fact that he was wearing the shirt was what got people so upset.
Pride Park, a paid area, is where festivities continued after the incident. It is a ticketed area.
