The Swedish police are investigating an incident that took place on the morning of 20 April at the entrance to a tunnel in Stockholm: three Nazi flags were displayed there – red cloths with a swastika. This was reported by the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet.
At 7:18 am, eyewitnesses called the police, and at 7:40 am, the flags were removed. Law enforcement officials stressed that the date chosen for this provocation was not accidental: 20 April is Adolf Hitler’s birthday.
Stockholm police spokesman Mats Eriksson said that law enforcement officers do not know who is behind the crime. Also, the exact qualification of the offence has not yet been determined, but it is preliminarily referred to as incitement to hatred or other forms of extremism.
In Sweden, the display of Nazi symbols is not explicitly prohibited, but their public use can be considered incitement to hatred if accompanied by calls or a context that disturbs public order.
The investigation is ongoing, and the police are calling on citizens to report any information about possible suspects.
