Woman in her 60s stabbed to death in broad daylight during Swedish political event on Gotland island by ‘man with ties to neo-Nazi groups’
- Swedish police said on Wednesday a woman in her 60s was killed in a stabbing
- The deadly attack took place in the town of Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland
- Visby hosts a political festival attended by thousands, including key politicians
- Swedish press reported suspect had ties to Nordic neo-Nazi groups
- Police have not yet commented on a motive or the suspect’s political beliefs
Swedish police said on Wednesday that a woman in her 60s had been killed in a daylight stabbing on the island of Gotland, where the country’s top politicians gather for a week-long event.
The stabbing happened just before 2pm (12pm UK time) in the center of the town of Visby, which is currently hosting a meeting of the country’s political parties.
“Unfortunately, I can report that the woman succumbed to her injuries,” Gotland Police Chief Fredrik Persson told a news conference.
Persson added that a 33-year-old man had been arrested shortly after the stabbing, but declined to comment on a possible motive.
The Swedish newspaper Expressen reported that the suspect had links to Nordic neo-Nazi groups, but this has not yet been verified by police.
‘At the moment an intensive investigation is underway. Part of this is finding out the motive and background of those arrested,” said the police chief.
He added that there was a series of questions they were investigating “because it happened in a very public place, where a lot of people were in the center of Visby in the middle of the day.”
The Almedalen political festival is held in Visby every year and usually attracts thousands of people as politicians from all major parties deliver speeches and mingle with voters and tourists.
The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) later confirmed that the victim was Ing-Marie Wieselgren, a 64-year-old psychiatrist who worked as a project manager and coordinator at the organization.
“We have lost a valued and cherished colleague, colleagues have lost a good friend and all of Sweden has lost one of its strongest voices for mental health,” SALAR chairman Carola Gunnarsson said in a written response.
Police, emergency services and bystanders provide medical aid to a woman who was fatally stabbed at the Almedalen political festival in Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland
Police arrest a man suspected of stabbing a woman at the Almedalen political festival in Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland on July 6, 2022
The woman was stabbed in Visby’s main square just minutes before Center Party leader Annie Lööf was due to take the stage for a press conference.
Bystanders and emergency services tried to stop the bleeding and performed CPR before the victim was loaded into an ambulance and rushed to a local hospital.
“I can confirm that this happened and that we found an injured person and arrested a man,” said police spokesman Ola Österling.
“We are currently trying to identify the injured woman but have no information to share at this time.”
Swedish MP Hanif Bali stated on social media that the stabbing was “nothing but a terror attack”.
Police and rescue services put up a canopy to prevent photos as they transfer a woman who was the victim of a stabbing at the Almedalen political festival into an ambulance car in Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland on July 6, 2022.
The Almedalen political festival is held in Visby every year and typically attracts thousands of people as politicians from all major parties deliver speeches and mingle with voters and tourists (Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson speaks at a press conference in Visby, Sweden, Sunday, July 3, 2022)
The attacker tried to flee but was reportedly stopped by an elderly bystander who believed he had stolen someone’s bag.
Lars Reuterberg, 69, told TT newsline that the suspect “landed on the end of a huge push”, causing him to tumble into the door, before being detained by police.
“This is the world’s most unique political week, a folk festival where you can meet politicians and celebrities and say ‘hello’ to everyone, where there are journalists and all that,” Reuterberg told TT.
“And this idiot goes and destroys everything.”