Thousands Protested Against Swedish Neo-Nazis in Central Stockholm This Weekend

On Saturday, neo-Nazi group Nordiska Motståndsrörelsen (NMR) held a demonstration in central Stockholm to protest against what they call "the invasion" of foreigners. It was the biggest of its kind in Sweden in recent years, which gathered 600 supporters, according to Expo.

The extremists marched from Kungsträdgården to Mynttorget, outside the Royal Castle, where police blocked roads to prevent counter demonstrators to enter. Counter demonstrators planned snowball attacks against NMR during the event, which lasted between 11AM and around 4PM. However, most victims of snowball attacks appeared to be police.

NMR's leaders gave speeches against multiculturalism, the EU and globalisation. The demonstration went under the tagline "Stoppa Främlingsinvasionen" [stop the invasion of strangers]. NMR's leaders also spoke about how Donald Trump's presidential win in the USA was a sign that the revolution is close. However, NMR did not seem to consider Trump's win a victory for likeminded – only as a step in the right direction towards their ultimate goal of a white supremacy.

Thousands of counter demonstrators gathered at Sergels torg and marched towards Mynttorget shortly after NMR's march. However, riot police made it impossible for demonstrators to reach the neo-Nazi group. Instead, violent clashes took place between riot police and counter demonstrators nearby Mynttorget in Gamla Stan, as well as between riot police and neo-Nazis outside of Gamla Stan's tube station – where most of Stockholm's tourists hang out and unwillingly witnessed the disturbance. Police arrested and removed over 100 demonstrators from both sides and 10 police were reported injured.

NMR's Swedish branch, Svenska Motståndsrörelsen (SMR) made global headlines in December 2013, when members attacked an anti-racist demonstration in Kärrtorp outside of Stockholm. NMR is an ultra-violent extreme-right group with an ideology based on the idea that there's a Jewish conspiracy controlling the world. Its followers believe in the white race and race biology. NMR promotes violence instead of democracy and aims at a National Socialist world leadership.

Additional photos by Jakob Åhl. Scroll down for more photos. More from VICE: I Went to the Anti-EU Gala Hosted by the Sweden Democrats and UKIP in Stockholm

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