Pro-refugee rally draws 10,000 in Gothenburg
The Local Sweden - [email protected]
Published: 10 Sep, 2015 CET.
Updated: Thu 10 Sep 2015 10:31 CET
Around 10,000 people gathered in Gothenburg on Wednesday to join a huge pro-refugee protest in Sweden's second largest city. Politicians and musicians took to the stage.
Police estimate that 8,000 to 10,000 people were on hand at the Götaplatsen square in Sweden's second largest city, Gothenburg at the a 'Refugees Welcome Göteborg'demonstration.
Social Democrat chairman Mona Sahlin and Education Minister Gustav Fridolin (both pictured below) spoke to the crowd, and musicians performed on stage as well.
"There was a lot of love and humanity on display," Petra Elf of the green youth organization (Grön Ungdom), which helped organize the event, told the TT news agency.
The demonstration ended with the crowd lighting hundreds of candles for all the refugees who died on the way to Europe.
The Gothenburg gathering follows a similar event in Stockholm on Sunday, where thousands braved heavy rains to show their support.
Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven was on hand, and gave a rousing speech.
"We need to decide right now what kind of Europe we are going to be. My Europe takes in refugees. My Europe doesn't build walls," he said in Stockholm.
Stefan Löfven speaks at the Stockholm rally
Löfven on Wednesday called for Sweden’s entire public sector to unite to ensure the swift resettlement of the latest influx of refugees.
All pictures: TT news agency
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Police estimate that 8,000 to 10,000 people were on hand at the Götaplatsen square in Sweden's second largest city, Gothenburg at the a 'Refugees Welcome Göteborg'demonstration.
Social Democrat chairman Mona Sahlin and Education Minister Gustav Fridolin (both pictured below) spoke to the crowd, and musicians performed on stage as well.
"There was a lot of love and humanity on display," Petra Elf of the green youth organization (Grön Ungdom), which helped organize the event, told the TT news agency.
The demonstration ended with the crowd lighting hundreds of candles for all the refugees who died on the way to Europe.
The Gothenburg gathering follows a similar event in Stockholm on Sunday, where thousands braved heavy rains to show their support.
Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven was on hand, and gave a rousing speech.
"We need to decide right now what kind of Europe we are going to be. My Europe takes in refugees. My Europe doesn't build walls," he said in Stockholm.
Stefan Löfven speaks at the Stockholm rally
Löfven on Wednesday called for Sweden’s entire public sector to unite to ensure the swift resettlement of the latest influx of refugees.
All pictures: TT news agency
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