Riots break out in Örebro ahead of right-wing extremist demonstrations
STOCKHOLM, April 15 (Reuters) – Violent riots broke out in the central Swedish city of Örebro on Friday when counter-protesters attacked the police ahead of a planned right-wing extremist demonstration.
The police said on their website that four police cars had been put on fire and at least four police officers and a private person had been damaged when protesters threw stone and large groups attacked the police barriers and reefs down the craving fence.
The demonstration, which had received a police permit, was organized by Rasmus Paludan, leader of the Danish far-right political party Hard Line. The police dissolved the demonstration to calm the situation and said later in the evening that most counterdo demonstrators had left the area.
A number of counter-protests against planned demonstrations by Paludan, some of which were canceled, in Swedish cities have become violent this week. The Swedish news agency TT said that violence broke out in the Stockholm suburb of Rinkeby after Paludan earlier on Friday set fire to a copy of the Koran.
Police said that some of the police officers who were taken to hospital had, among other things, suspected arm fractures.
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Reporting by Anna Ringström; Editing by Sandra Maler
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