Gothenburg Infoshop Syndicalist Forum rocked by explosion, but damage limited

On Friday 11th November, during the night, Gothernburg's Syndikalistiskt Forum seems to have been the target of some sort of explosive device. Police are working from the presumption that there may be ideological motives behind the explosion.

Submitted by altemark on November 12, 2016

For up-to-date information on events and how to support the Forum, see
https://www.facebook.com/syndikalistiskt.forum/
http://syndikalistisktforum.se/

No one was hurt in the explosion, but it was strong enough for neighbors to have noticed the building rocking - "one hell of an explosion" a resident explained to the Göteborgs-Posten local daily.
According to police, there is some exterior damage and shattered windows. A bike, to which the explosive might have been fastened, was also found damaged. Damage to the interior of the café is apparently limited.

Police have contacted the Security Services to aid in the investigation

On a statement posted to Facebook, Syndikalistiskt Forum say that there is nothing to worry about, as "this is not the first time our labor movement is subject to such attacks" (the 1999 firebombing against the SAC's Gävle headquarters - also childhood home of Joe Hill - comes to mind).

"We will keep on our work as usual, and to all of you who who are now asking what you can do to support us, a thousand red carnations - our answer is simply: keep on coming here: attend our events, educate and organize. Syndicalist Forum will live on - another world is possible!


Radical Book Fair, 2016

Talking to the Göteborgs-Posten local, the Security Service has confirmed that they are on the case, and the the police are now looking to determine what it is that exploded, whether this was some kind of home-made bomb, powerful fireworks, or hand grenade (which due to being easy to smuggle into the country recently have featured often in criminal turf wars in the south of Sweden).

The explosion took place the night ahead of a large counter-mobilization against the fascist Nordic Resistance Movement's attempt to hold a public meeting in Stockholm, about a month after having been involved in the death of a young Finnish anti-fascist in Helsinki.

Summertime Syndicalist Forum

Comments

altemark

7 years 1 month ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by altemark on February 4, 2017

A leading member of the Nordic Resistance Movement has been put into custody in a case handled by the Swedish Security Service, with the fascist, Viktor Melin, being suspected of having perpetrated the bombing against Syndikalistiskt Forum.

Melin denies being a member of NMR, but the day after the bombing he marched with 600 other fascists in Stockholm, in a demo organized by the NMR. He has a history of violent crime, in addition to sentences involving robbery, doping and drugs. Recently he participated in NMR actions aimed at creating media stir by posing as fake "security guards" at public baths (policing any "muslims who could threaten white women" there).

altemark

7 years 2 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by altemark on January 28, 2017

Investigations are pointing towards a connection between bombs found at two asylum centers earlier this year and the Syndicalist Forum explosion, with Nordic Resistance Movement fascists as the prime suspects.

http://expo.se/2017/samband-mellan-sprangladdningar-utreds-av-sakerhetspolisen_7235.html

altemark

7 years 1 month ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by altemark on February 2, 2017

Yet another fascist has been arrested in the attempt to crack down on right-wing terrorism in Southern Sweden, now with the arrest of a nazi who carried out a failed bombing of an asylum center in Torslanda, Gothenburg.

Most serious of all the bombings, however, was a bomb that went of in early January, seriously injuring a worker at a cleaning agency. He was going through his regular schedule at a facility run by the Swedish Board of Migration, but when he was about to dispose of what he thought was a bag filled with trash this turned out to contain an IED placed there by fascists.

The explosion resulted in splinter injuries all over the cleaner's body, with the blast breaking both his legs. He is still in intensive care and the police are considering it attempted murder.

The bomb outside Syndikalistiskt Forum, on the other hand, could potentially have been even more disastrous, with investigators saying that "the device was powerful enough that not only could someone close enough have been seriously injured, but even killed".

Symptomatic enough, media has not even now caught on to the trail of terror these extreme right-wing groupings are involved in, and the ever so present word of "terrorism" is curiously absent in reporting.

Click for a map of suspected arson attacks against asylum centers and similar installations In Sweden 2015-2016

Khawaga

7 years 1 month ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Khawaga on February 2, 2017

Yet another fascist has been arrested in the attempt to crack down on right-wing terrorism in Southern Sweden, now with the arrest of a nazi who carried out a failed bombing of an asylum center in Torslanda, Gothenburg.

Most serious of all the bombings, however, was a bomb that went of in early January, seriously injuring a worker at a cleaning agency. He was going through his regular schedule at a facility run by the Swedish Board of Migration, but when he was about to dispose of what he thought was a bag filled with trash this turned out to contain an IED placed there by fascists. The explosion resulted in splinter injuries all over the cleaner's body, with the blast breaking both his legs. He is still in intensive care and the police are considering it attempted murder.

The bomb outside Syndikalistiskt Forum, on the other hand, could potentially have been even more disastrous, with investigators saying that "the device was powerful enough that not only could someone close enough have been seriously injured, but even killed".

Symptomatic enough, media has not even now caught on to the trail of terror these extreme right-wing groupings are involved in, and the ever so present word of "terrorism" is curiously absent in reporting.

Click for a map of suspected arson attacks against asylum centers and similar installations In Sweden 2015-2016

I've had run-ins with Nazis in Norway, but the Swedish ones fucking terrifies me (which was why, when we were attacked by some of them during the Gothenburg protests in 2001, I took off like I was trying to set a world record in 100m dash).

altemark

7 years 1 month ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by altemark on February 2, 2017

The soccer hooligan nazi gang roaming around Järntorget? I remembering hearing rumours about bonehead crews on the prowl.

Steven.

7 years 1 month ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on February 2, 2017

just to say thanks to altemark for the very interesting updates here

Khawaga

7 years 1 month ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Khawaga on February 3, 2017

Alternark, it wasn't at Järntorget, that was later in the day. I suspect they were the same crowd though. This attack happened at the place where the Norwegians were congregating, so closeish to Järntorget.

altemark

6 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by altemark on July 8, 2017

Three of the nazis involved in the Gothenburg bombing campaign have now received their sentences. Mindbogglingly enough, they weren't slapped with terrorism charges (which makes one wonder what the state really considers terrorism), but they are facing doing some significant time in jail. The 23 year old nazi is sentenced to 8,5 years in prison, the 50 year old one got 5 years, and finally there is the 20 year old fascist, who gets 1,5 years.

Just a few days after these sentences, the Nordic Resistance Movement, of which they are or have been members, participated in the yearly (and disgusting) politics festival in Almedalen, on the island of Gotland. For the first time they were there as an accredited organization, with permits for setting up info tents and whatnot - free speech of course. Last night they used this platform to trash the information tent run by syndicalist volunteer union activists from the SAC.

Steven.

6 years 8 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on July 9, 2017

Thanks for the updates. It's good that been jailed but typical how a bomb attack by white racists isn't seen as terrorism - that is something reserved for acts carried out by people of colour solely it would seem

altemark

6 years ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by altemark on March 7, 2018

Apparently, the nazis were able to place and prime their third time-bomb at Lilleby Camping despite having been under surveillance by the security police, Swedish public radio reports.

The third bomb was placed at the camping place being used as a refugee shelter and luckily didn't explode - unlike the first and second one, which damaged Syndikalistiskt Forum and almost killed an immigrant cleaner - because of a botched job. Despite being alerted about the presence of the nazis on the camping grounds, the security police decided not to intervene. Even worse, the nazis were able to go through with their third bombing after the second potential lethal bomb - which caused a life-long leg serious injury to the cleaner - exploded, a bomb which was also placed after the security police had started their surveillance.