Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard had to flee from Thursday's interpellation debate after someone in the gallery threw a bag with tomato and onion at her. The debate concerned Sweden's abstention in the UN vote on Israel and the West Bank,
Unacceptable, says Karin Enström, who demands accountability from parties participating in demonstrations.
"The Riksdag parties that cultivate and participate in Palestine demonstrations must now step forward and take responsibility for their followers, who behave in this manner. That activists disrupt a debate in the Riksdag chamber and throw objects at Sweden's Foreign Minister is totally unacceptable and disrespectful to Swedish democracy", she writes in a comment to TT.
S: A threat to democracy
Speaker Andreas Norlén also reacts strongly:
"Today's event in the chamber is completely unacceptable and directly antidemocratic. It's bad enough to disrupt the Riksdag's meetings with noise and shouting, but when objects are thrown into the chamber, another boundary has been crossed", he writes.
S leader Magdalena Andersson calls the incident despicable.
"This is not just an attack on a minister, or the Swedish government. This is a threat to our open Swedish democracy. There is no defense, and no excuses, for such behavior", she writes in a comment.
Kristersson wants analysis
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson "expects forceful measures" and an analysis of how it could happen.
"I am proud that Sweden has a competent and upright Foreign Minister who holds the government's line on conflicts in the Middle East. No one should be allowed to threaten or throw objects at her", he writes.
