(27/10/2015)
School attack in Sweden was a racially motivated attack
Last week two people were killed in a racially motivated attack at a school in Sweden. The police said that the attacker, who was masked and wielding a sword, picked his victims based on their ethnic background.
The Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said that it was a “dark day for Sweden” and that his “thoughts go out to the victims and their families, pupils and staff, and the entire community that has been affected.”
Sweden has a population of more than nine million and has accepted at least 80,000 asylum seekers last year. In line with its traditional liberal immigration policies, Sweden takes in the most refugees per capita of any European Union nation. But amid the influx, the attack at the school will increase fears of more racist attacks.
The attack comes after the newly elected Cologne mayor Henriette Reker, who previously headed Cologne’s Social Affairs and Integration Department, and was responsible for refugee housing, was stabbed in the neck whilst campaigning to become mayor.
Cécile Kyenge, Co-Preisdent of ARDI, said: “I am shocked by this horrific attack. The attack reminds us that we must remain vigilant and continue our fight. We are working at the European Parliament to prevent and responding to hate crimes.”
Malin Bjork, member of ARDI, concluded: “This is a wake-up call for political leaders to further strengthen efforts to fight racism. We have seen a dangerous rise of and even legitimation of extreme right views, and all democratic parties have now to stand united against racist ideology and xenophobia, because that is what feeds this form of terror acts.“