A Controversial Ad Campaign Sparks Protest in Stockholm

Stockholm’s subway system has been infiltrated by a racist ad campaign, one that is sending shockwaves through the Swedish capital. The extreme right Sweden Democrats political party has plastered the busy metro station at Östermalmstorg with controversial, impossible-to-avoid posters and banners that imply many homeless people are involved in organized criminal activity, a claim debunked by a recent Norwegian study.

The misleading campaign, which features images of sleeping homeless people in Roma clothing and the text “sorry about the mess here in Sweden,” has upset many people, who feel that it’s xenophobic and demeaning. Some locals have insisted that it “kicks at some of the most vulnerable in our society.” Last night, thousands of Stockholmers took part in a demonstration against the campaign, after which a breakaway group of protesters entered the subway station and tore down some of the posters.