Investigate racist attacks as acts of terrorism

In recent years, the recurring attacks on refugee shelters, as well as EU migrants and immigrants to Sweden, have escalated. These attacks take the form of threats, beatings, racist graffiti, vandalism and arson.

  • In 2014, one person died in Högdalen after one of many arson attacks on migrant camps.
  • Three people were killed in 2015 after a person armed himself with swords and attacked "foreign looking" people at the Kronan school of Trollhättan.
  • During 2015 the amount of attacks on active as well as planned refugee shelters went well above the count of 40. This number does not include accidents or fires started by the inhabitants of these accomodations.

 

For 2016 the criteria have somewhat changed since we now have a better chance to record these attacks during a whole year. This in no way means things have turned to the better: 26 attacks during the first quarter, a number which keeps increasing as reports come in.

Remarkably often the attacks are directed at the places intended for unaccompanied refugee children. The vast majority of these fires have been instigated and can be assumed to be a direct result of individuals, blogs, facebook pages, and representatives of political parties publicly stating where these shelters are and where they are planned. Maps which fairly precisely mark the location of the accommodations are common. Remarkably often these publications are accompanied by harassment and threats expressed as a wish and will to incinerate refugee accommodations.

Police National Operations Division (NOA) says, despite this, that they've been unable to find any signs of incitement, instigation, or indeed any other connection between the attacks. This is exceedingly puzzling and at the same time very disturbing. This also raises the question about the presumed disinterest both police and politicians exhibit for the crimes committed.

Definitions of what constitutes terrorism vary. Sweden uses the same definition as in the EU - which, among other things, states that terrorism is used to "seriously intimidate a population or population group." If the definition is sincere immigrants and / or refugees should belong to the population category which is why we can conclude that the deed can, and should, be considered as manifestations of terrorism.

We the signatories demand:

  • That attacks against migrants, refugees and EU migrants be taken seriously by the police, politicians and authorities.
  • That resources are requested to carefully investigate these types of attacks.
  • That the police investigate attacks against migrants, refugees and EU migrants as terrorist crimes.

This petition will be presented to the Swedish Government, Parliament, the Committee on Justice and the country's police force.