This is the penalty if you follow Carl-Oskar Bohlin

Three people have been convicted of harassment after following Civil Defense Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M) in Gamla Stan. The incident, which Bohlin himself filmed and posted on social media, sparked a wide-ranging debate about safety, aggressive behavior, and politicians’ responsibility for developments in Sweden.

It was on September 8, 2025, that a group of Palestinian demonstrators followed the Minister of Civil Defense Carl-Oskar Bohlin following a demonstration at Mynttorget. For several minutes, the minister was filmed while slogans were shouted at close range.

The Stockholm District Court has now handed down its ruling Hussein Abdelzahra, Elias Malko and Anna Martinell for harassment. A fourth defendant, Nohan Zainudini, is acquitted because the court does not find that intent has been proven.

Followed Bohlin through Old Town

According to the ruling, the defendants followed Bohlin through Old Town while filming him and shouting slogans such as ”blood on your hands,” ”shame on you,” and ”child murderer.”.

The District Court notes that the authorized demonstration had ended when the incident occurred. After that, several people followed the minister at close range for several minutes.

At the same time, the court ruled that a minister must tolerate criticism, political messages, and provocative slogans. According to the court, what made the conduct punishable was not the opinions themselves, but the fact that the defendants, as a group, followed, filmed, and shouted at Bohlin in a manner deemed reckless and invasive of privacy.

The debate continues

The incident garnered significant attention after Bohlin posted his own video from that evening and described the group as a ”lynch mob.” Since then, Bohlin himself has emphasized that the incident is not just about him personally, but about a social climate in which people feel restricted in public spaces.

In the ensuing debate, several people have pointed out a paradox. While politicians now describe the incident as an example of increasingly domineering behavior, ordinary Swedes have long spoken of similar experiences. Critics also argue that contact between those in power and voters has become increasingly limited, with extensive security measures and a growing distance between politicians and the public. It was only when a minister was targeted that the issue became the subject of extensive media coverage, political statements, and a police investigation.

The ruling is therefore unlikely to put an end to the debate. On the contrary, it once again raises the question of why issues that many Swedes have long experienced only receive significant attention once they reach the corridors of power.