Masked attackers smokebomb Sweden theatre to disrupt anti-fascist event

Several masked attackers stormed a Stockholm theatre hosting an anti-fascist event on Wednesday night, assaulting the gathering and setting off smoke bombs, Swedish police said.

There were nearly 50 people in attendance at the event, organised by the left-wing Vansterpartiet and Green parties in the Gubbangen theatre in a southern suburb of the Swedish capital. Three of them had to be taken to hospital after the attack, said the anti-racist foundation Expo, which had a member participating.

Ulf Kristersson condemned the assault, calling it an attack on Sweden’s democracy. The prime minister added that such incidents had no place in the country, according to TT news agency.

"An attack on a democratic meeting is an attack on our entire democracy," he said.

Expo said the masked attackers entered the theatre just as the event was about to start and used self-defence spray and smoke grenades.

It described the attackers as "a group of Nazis".

"The Nazis attacked visitors using physical violence,” it said, adding that they “vandalised the premises before throwing a type of smoke bomb that filled the entrance hall with smoke”.

Images published by Expo showed panicked people trying to escape the venue.

The attack was condemned by all political parties. No arrests have yet been made.

Nooshi Dadgostar of the Left Party said the event meant “for equality amongst individuals” was “violently attacked by those who seemed to be Nazis”, according to SVT television.

She urged “all political forces” in the country to collectively fight the “far-right that threatens our democracy”.