Jail for man who stabbed 'unarmed' neo-Nazi
An extreme-left activist was sentenced on Tuesday to six and a half years in prison after he stabbed a neo-Nazi in the back during December's riots in Kärrtorp.
The man was sentenced for attempted manslaughter, making illegal threats, violent rioting, and for breaking Sweden's laws on knife possession.. He admitted to holding the knife, but claimed that the stabbing was an act of self defence. The 35-year-old reportedly belongs to the organization the Revolutionary Front, which is considered left-wing extremist. He has several previous convictions behind him. The prosecutor has argued that the 35-year-old suspect showed up in Kärrtorp armed with a morakniv, a traditional Swedish knife used for wood carving and odd jobs.
"It was a heated atmosphere on our side also, of course, but that's because they (the neo-Nazis) arrived," the 35-year-old said in court. "It was calm before that."
The court verdict said that video from the altercation showed the 35-year-old take aim before he stabbed the Nazi in the back, which signalled intent to injure.
"The district court thereby finds that (the suspect) was aware that the (victim) could die from the stab wounds," the verdict stated. "It must be obvious to everyone that it is indefensible to stab an unarmed person in the back with a knife."
The 35-year-old had said he habitually carried a knife because he lived under threats. He said that political antagonists had published a photograph of his son, along with the son's personal ID number, online.
The incident occurred in mid-December last year when residents of the southern suburb had rallied to protest against the sprouting of Nazi graffiti. As the crowd assembled on the square by the metro station, members of the Swedish Resistance Movement showed up. The scene quickly descended into violence with several people suffering knife wounds. The following weekend, Stockholmers gathered in their thousands to protest the violence.
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The prosecutor has argued that the 35-year-old suspect showed up in Kärrtorp armed with a morakniv, a traditional Swedish knife used for wood carving and odd jobs.
"It was a heated atmosphere on our side also, of course, but that's because they (the neo-Nazis) arrived," the 35-year-old said in court. "It was calm before that."
The court verdict said that video from the altercation showed the 35-year-old take aim before he stabbed the Nazi in the back, which signalled intent to injure.
"The district court thereby finds that (the suspect) was aware that the (victim) could die from the stab wounds," the verdict stated. "It must be obvious to everyone that it is indefensible to stab an unarmed person in the back with a knife."
The 35-year-old had said he habitually carried a knife because he lived under threats. He said that political antagonists had published a photograph of his son, along with the son's personal ID number, online.
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