There have been many demonstrations against Israel since Hamas' large-scale terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, and Israel's subsequent war in Gaza.
A party that has reacted to the demonstrations is the Christian Democrats, where they are worried about disturbances, hate against Jews, and terrorist support.
On Thursday, National Police Commissioner Petra Lundh and Prosecutor-General Katarina Johansson Welin were called to the Justice Committee to give their view of the handling of the demonstrations.
A Difficult Boundary
According to Lundh, most demonstrations proceed calmly, and participants generally stay within what is legally permitted. The number of reported crimes in connection with the demonstrations is unclear since national statistics are lacking.
However, in Region Väst, which has closely monitored this, the police have reported 108 different incidents, of which 45 have been reported to the prosecutor and 35 investigations are ongoing.
So things are happening here. But when it comes to hate against a group of people, it's difficult. Freedom of speech is strong, and this is when you've crossed all boundaries, and it can be difficult to prove, says Petra Lundh.
Neither at the Prosecutor-General's office (RÅ) has there been a significant increase in the number of cases concerning hate against a group of people. It's about 20 more cases compared to the period before October 7, 2023. Prosecutors only get the case when there is a reasonable suspect.
No Convictions
The Prosecutor-General's office also states that there can be difficult assessments of what constitutes hate against a group of people.
You can say a lot, we have freedom of speech, and it should be a restrictive interpretation, says Katarina Johansson Welin.
Just saying something about Israel, that's not hate against a group of people, because it's not against the group of Jews.
There are still no district court convictions regarding hate against a group of people in connection with the recent year's Palestine demonstrations. The Prosecutor-General does not believe that any charges have been brought either.
In the demonstrations, terrorist support is also said to have been expressed, Hamas flags have been seen, and Hamas leaders have been praised, according to the media.
Just having a flag does not constitute hate against a group of people, but then you must combine it with statements and other things, says Petra Lundh.
Can the new law on terrorist participation be applied?
It's not just that you have a flag, it's participation, it requires more.
