Opinion: Governing parties' rhetoric fuels violence in Sweden

Following the fatal school attack in Fagersta, where a 17-year-old girl was killed and several other students injured, a call has been made for more than just expressions of grief and condemnation. Juan Fonseca, a former member of the Social Democrats in the Riksdag, argues in an opinion piece for Dagens Nyheter that an honest examination of political rhetoric is necessary.

Fonseca draws parallels to previous incidents in Trollhättan and Örebro, noting that in Trollhättan, the perpetrator's racist motives were established, while in Örebro, most victims had foreign backgrounds. Reports indicate that all victims in the Fagersta attack also had foreign backgrounds, and potential right-wing extremist links are being investigated. Fonseca stresses the importance of thoroughly investigating these claims rather than dismissing them.

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Words are not the same as violence. But words shape the environment where violence can be normalized, excused, and in the worst case, translated into action.

While acknowledging that the government and the Sweden Democrats do not bear criminal responsibility for individual actions, Fonseca asserts that political leaders are accountable for the societal climate they foster. He contends that when individuals with immigrant backgrounds are consistently portrayed as problems, burdens, or threats, the boundaries of acceptable speech and action shift. This constant suspicion towards entire groups, and making their belonging in Sweden conditional, can embolden those who harbor hate.

"Words are not the same as violence," Fonseca writes, "but words shape the environment where violence can be normalized, excused, and in the worst case, translated into action." He concludes that Sweden needs political leaders who defend the equal worth of every person, rather than those who gain votes by pitting people against each other. The article urges for a review of the rhetoric that has made the suspicion of people with foreign backgrounds a daily political occurrence, ensuring children can attend school without their background making them targets.

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Sweden needs political leaders who defend every person's equal worth – not leaders who gain votes by pitting people against each other.