Demonstrators bearing signs like “Black Lives Matter” gathered for several hours at a square in the heart of Stockholm during Wednesday afternoon to show support for George Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis who was killed by police.
Pandemic-hit Sweden has a ban on public gatherings of more than 50 people. While COVID-19 deaths have slowed since the peak in early April, healthcare resources are still strained.
Home Affairs Minister Mikael Damberg said it was a democratic right to protest but that the rules from the Health Agency must be respected.
“I would urge anyone who wants to protest against racism to use digital media instead. Otherwise, many people risk getting sick and dying,” he said in a written comment to Reuters.
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