A lone Black woman’s defiance of Swedish neo-Nazis, 10 years on
Ten years after a famous photograph of her defying neo-Nazis went viral, Tess Asplund reflects on the normalization of far-right politics in Sweden. As the country approaches a general election, the Sweden Democrats party continues to gain significant political influence despite its controversial roots.
Why it matters
It highlights the shifting political landscape in Europe where far-right ideologies are moving from the fringes to mainstream governance.
Tess Asplund challenges a 2016 neo-Nazi parade in Borlänge. Tess Asplund challenges a 2016 neo-Nazi parade in Borlänge. Sweden A lone Black woman’s defiance of Swedish neo-Nazis, 10 years on Protester Tess Asplund on the photo that made headlines, and why she sees it as a sign of the change in Sweden today
Ashifa Kassam in Stockholm Sun 30 Aug 2026 03.00 EDT Last modified on Sun 30 Aug 2026 03.03 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google The striking photograph showed a lone Black woman, her fist raised, standing in the path of hundreds of uniformed neo-Nazis on parade in 2016, and it made headlines across the globe.
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