Car Used by Malmö Church for Charitable Causes Burned

Case information
Incident date
Country
Sweden
Place
Malmö
Categories
  • Social Hostility / Intolerance
Attack Against
  • Faith
Perpetrator / Motive Indicators
  • Anti-Religion or Humanism Groups
  • Islamist
Hate Crime & Violent Incidents
  • Arson
  • Vandalism (all)
Place of Incident
  • Public Street
Bias Indicators
  • Organized Hate Groups
  • Significance of Property/Structure/Location to religious community
Reported to Police
  • Yes
Response of Local Authorities
  • Investigated
Image credit: Hyllie Church on Dagen

In the night of August 28, the car used for social welfare causes by Hyllie Church in Malmö was burned down. The car was not in the vicinity of the riot that happened in the same night, however, the perpetrators remain unknown.

Several cars were burned on the same parking lot. The church car had a swedish church logo as well as the name of their initiative, "Moment 22", written on it. The destruction of the car does not only affect the church, but above all the people in need. It had been used every day, for example to supply 90 people with groceries regularly. Pastor Kenth Carlsson has called out for financial help to buy a new car.

He also reported that many people had called or written e-mails to show their support, including Muslims who apologized for what happened. Carlsson however did not think that Muslims were behind the attack. He personnally suspected far-right extremists, because the Church had also spoken out against the burning of the Qu'ran which took place in the context of a far-right rally the same night.

Sources