Arson against Swedish social centre Cyklopen

BEFORE

As if the cops weren’t bad enough…

AFTER

“As I stated on the Bombshell forum Andy, you are a liar, a hypocrite and no better than the trash that you fight against.” ~ Dion, December, 2007
“Anarchy is a fag. Thanx to the people who have supported us… and to the random people letting us know about this anarchist knobjockey Mr Moran.” ~ Chunga (The Worst), September 2007

Arson against Swedish social centre Cyklopen, UK Indymedia, November 30, 2008

In September last year people from all over the world descended on Stockholm and converged at the grand opening of the newly built social center Cyklopen, the Cyclops. The building was the result of a long struggle towards a self run cultural space on in Stockholm and an architectural wonder. Built in a total DIY spirit, the building was built around two stacks of containers that acted as the supporting structure and small meeting and storage rooms. The façade of the house was made of several doors, a draw bridge and a collage of mismatched windows. The inauguration saw workshops about Oaxaca, social centers and autonomous spaces, trauma support, feminism and class and much more. A newly started kitchen provided ambitious food on a donation basis and there were parties with DJs and bands in the evenings. A long article was written in CrimethInc’s Rolling Thunder Magazine #4 that tells the story of the house and contains many photos.

Yesterday, just a little more than a year after the opening of the house, it burnt to the ground. Arson is suspected and it is more than probable that Nazis were behind the attack. Every year sees a lot of Nazi activity around Sweden this time of the year as the Nazis celebrate the imperialist Swedish ‘war’ king, Karl XII. Today in Lund, the southern city that the king lived part of his life, about 50-70 nazis demonstrated and were met by resistance from about 1000 anti-fascists, some of who clashed with both nazis and police. In Stockholm two nazi/nationalist demonstrations have taken place and clashes are occurring throughout the city as bottles, flares and fireworks are being used to attack the nazis. Police are hunting groups of anti-fascists throughout the city and trying to contain them.*

The 30th November demonstrations used to be the big show of force for Swedish nazis but in recent years the Salem march has become the main yearly event and has attracted up to 2000 nazis, making it one of the biggest nazi demonstrations in Europe. The Salem march has been happening every year on the 9th of December since 2001 and was started as a day of remembrance of the murdered bonehead and nazi sympathiser Daniel Wretström who was killed in a gang fight on the 9th of December 2000. The nazis claim that he was the victim of anti-Swedish violence and multi-cultural society. Every year their march is met by a large anti-fascist mobilisation and are always outnumbered but protected by a huge police force.

The Culture Campaign and the Cyclops are a part of the autonomous fabric that makes up the resistance to the nazi presence in Sweden and would be an obvious target for the nazis.

On the website of the Culture Campaign (Kultur Kampanjen) the following statement is posted:

Today 29/11/2008 the Cyclops has been burnt to the ground, nothing remains of the building. Our house had no electrical connection and no heating system, what could have caused the fire? The fire-department’s opinion is that the fire spread unnaturally quickly. The fire-department, the police and we all agree that it seems that the fire was was started intentionally.

When we arrived at the Cyclops earlier today at 12:00 there had been a burglary and everything of value had been stolen. The only valuable items left in the building were two gas bottles (which we use for heating). We spent the day mending the graffiti boards, painting the cinema rooms and cleaning. We left the Cyclops just before 17:00. Around two hours later the fire started, in the lower right corner, and spread quickly. When police and fire-fighters arrived there was no way to save the building.

The Network Against Racism (Nätverket Mot Rasism) had planned an event at the house around the same time as the fire started. The event was cancelled a few days ago but had been publicised. Tomorrow, November 30, is the day that the Swedish king Karl XII died and several nazi groups have arranged manifestations. Next week, December 6, the nazis will be demonstrating in Salem, Sweden. Stockholm is the city in Sweden with the biggest nazi presence during this time of the year. The connection between this and the fire at our cultural house is hardly a coincidence. The activities and content of the Cyclops been characterised by anti-authoritarian thinking and diverse culture and have acted as an irritation against the totalitarian currents of society.

There is no doubt that the Cyclops has been the target of a nazi attack. The nazis must not be allowed to grow stronger without resistance!

*Stockholm – Police arrested at least four people Sunday in the southern city of Lund after clashes between left-wing activists who opposed ultra-nationalists commemorating the 1718 death of Swedish King Karl XII. According to police and local news media, left-wing activists tried to prevent some 50 right-wing supporters from marching to a memorial on the outskirts of the university city of Lund. Counter-demonstrators reportedly threw stones and other missiles at police deployed to protect the right-wing marchers, who had been granted permission to march. Scores of people were briefly apprehended. The king, who reigned from 1697-1718, is regarded as a hero by ultra-nationalists and neo-Nazi groups, who mark the anniversary in Lund and the capital, Stockholm. Several arrests were also made in Stockholm, where two right-wing groups marched in the afternoon and early evening through parts of the downtown area. Sweden was at war with Russia, Denmark, Saxony and Poland during the king’s reign. He was killed November 30, 1718, when he was hit in the head by a bullet during a siege in neighbouring Norway.

“If [Swedes] are so interesting to you, move to [Sweden].” ~ Fruitsalad, Melbourne Punx Forum, October 2008

See also : no truce, no mercy, no surrender, no rest, no more – this is war, cross yr stitches, November 30, 2008