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Today, the process begins at the Western Swedish Court of Appeal. Fifteen people are charged, all men between 20 and 50 years old. Of the 15 accused, 14 are suspected of incitement to ethnic groups. And seven of them are suspected of violent disturbances.
The district court dismissed the charge of incitement against an ethnic group in its entirety.
– We didn’t expect anything else. I don’t see a change even in a judicial appeal process, said Sargon De Basso, attorney for one of those who was acquitted in district court, after the verdict.
However, five of the seven suspects were convicted of violent disturbances.
Attracted attention
The case has attracted attention, not least because House District Attorney Jonas Martinsson has argued that the symbols, including the so-called tyrrune, clothing, speeches and slogans combined, should be seen as incitement against ethnic groups.
But in its assessment, the court concluded that the general impression of the protesters’ actions was not such as to imply a clear association with the National Socialist movements during the 1930s and 1940s. Nor could they see that the tyrrune itself would be perceived as an expression. incitement against an ethnic group.
But chamber attorney Jonas Martinsson is not satisfied.
– I think there are reasons to see it differently and therefore I want the Court of Appeal to judge the matter. In principle, it is important to test whether they can manifest themselves in this way, to find out if they have crossed the border, he tells TT.
Charlotte Brokelind has been the government investigator of racist symbols. She argued before the district court ruling that this case may go all the way to the Supreme Court and be the basis for future enforcement of the law. Today there are no prejudicial sentences.
Became inaccessible
At the district court trial, a 16th man was charged on suspicion of inciting an ethnic group. But it became inaccessible. The prosecutor has also tried to bring him to justice. But just two weeks ago, the man sent a medical certificate to the court, which meant that the trial against him had to be postponed again. Otherwise, it was scheduled to take place last week.
In another case at the Gothenburg District Court, the court has decided to confiscate some of the posters that the NMR (Nordic Resistance Movement) carried during the demonstration. The poster marked a famous journalist as a “criminal.” The verdict means that if NMR were to use the poster again during a demonstration, the police could immediately intervene against the crime of “spreading confiscated writings.” That verdict is unique.
Jonas Dagson / TT
“I want the Court of Appeal to judge the issue. It is important in principle to prove if they can demonstrate in this way, to know that they have crossed the border, ”says chamber prosecutor Jonas Martinsson. Photograph: Björn Larsson Rosvall / TT
• Participants in the RMN march gathered in a parking lot in southern Gothenburg on September 30, 2017 to go together to the place where the authorized demonstration would begin, in Scandinavium, not far from the ongoing Book Fair.
• However, the train never reached the planned starting point. The march stopped near Liseberg station, where protesters, contrary to police instructions, attempted to take the road past the Book Fair to the starting point.
• The police later judged that the march could not continue, in part because there were thousands of counter-protesters in the streets.
• The events that according to the accusation are classified as violent disturbances, for which seven people are charged, took place at the Liseberg station. The event went on for a couple of minutes.
• The incitement of ethnic groups, of which fourteen people are suspected, went on, according to the prosecutor, for a long time on the day of the demonstration.
• The Gothenburg District Court dismissed the charge of incitement against an ethnic group. However, five of the seven suspects were convicted of violent disturbances. One of them to jail for two months. The other four receive a suspended sentence with community service.
• Two of them were also convicted of disobedience to the forces of order.
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