Man arrested after spraying red paint on Israeli flag at Sweden book fair | Watch
A man was arrested at a Gothenburg book fair for pouring red paint on an Israeli flag while protesting the conflict in Gaza. The incident sparked controversy, leading to the withdrawal of two authors and a debate regarding free speech and the participation of former IDF officials in public events.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the growing tension and polarization surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict within European cultural and academic spaces.
A man was arrested Saturday evening at a book fair in Gothenburg, southern Sweden, after pouring red liquid on an Israeli flag at the Sweden-Israel Friendship Association’s booth. Footage from the scene showed the man after he sprayed the paint, with his hands also covered in red, shouting: “Israel is committing genocide. We must stop the suicide in Gaza and West Bank.” As security guards escorted him out, he continued: “This is a peaceful protest and we do this for all the children being killed by Israel. Israel is an apartheid state.
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