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Inhumane: Hundreds of masked men beat refugee children in Stockholm

Speed News Desk | Updated on: 14 February 2017, 5:32 IST
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  • They handed out leaflets threatening to give \'the North African street children who are roaming around\' the \'punishment they deserve\'.
  • They did this as a planned revenge attack for female asylum centre worker killed by Somali \'boy recently. .

According to news reports, hundreds of masked men marched through Stockholm's main train station on Friday evening and reportedly beat up refugees and anyone who didn't appear to be ethnically of Swedish origin.

"They were dressed in all-black balaclavas and armbands and apparently gathered with the purpose of attacking refugee children," Stockholm police spokesperson Towe Hagg said.

"I saw maybe three people who were beaten. That was no football brawl or something similar. They targeted migrants. I was quite scared and ran away," an eyewitness told the Aftonbladet newspaper.

Before the attacks, the mob handed out leaflets with the slogan "It is enough now!" which threatened to give "the North African street children who are roaming around" the "punishment they deserve".

The reason for attacks?

The leaflet refers to the death of social worker Alexandra Mezher, who died after being stabbed at a refugee shelter for unaccompanied children.

Four people have been arrested in connection with the attacks.

After the attack, the Swedish Resistance Movement, a neo-Nazi group, released a statement claiming the attack had cleaned up criminal immigrants from North Africa that are housed in the area around the Central Station.

The statement added:

"These criminal immigrants have robbed and molested Swedes for a long time." "Police have clearly shown that they lack the means to stave off their rampage, and we now see no other alternative than to ourselves hand out the punishments they deserve."

Sweden received a record 160,000 refugees last year. The country has seen a sharp decline in newcomers since photo ID checks were introduced this month.

Sweden likely to deport up to half of last year's asylum seekers:

Sweden is likely to deport up to half last year's record 163,000 asylum seekers either voluntarily or forcibly, presenting a major challenge to authorities, Interior Minister Anders Ygeman said on Thursday.

Between 60,000 and 80,000 people will likely have to leave, Ygeman said, which would represent about 45 percent of the total number of applicants.

Sweden, with a population of almost 10 million, is one of the countries that has borne the brunt of Europe's migrant crisis as hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and north Africa have moved north to wealthier members of the European Union.

Catch Take:

syrian refugee/wire/Ozge Elif Kizil/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

AFP

Of lately, refugees have faced numerous attacks and threats in the European Union. Many countries are deporting them back and some have introduced laws (Denmark) to seize their invaluable assets as well.

So, how does attacking innocent children or refugees for that matter appropriate revenge? Those attacking and killing asylum centre worker have been punished and the crime was heinous in nature. But, attacking innocent children fleeing war and persecution does not bode well for human rights and ethos, something, the European Union proudly calls itself a representative of.

First published: 30 January 2016, 8:28 IST