Black people in Sweden (‘Afro-Swedes’) demonstrated in the main capital Stockholm to support a bill to recognize Sweden’s role in the transatlantic slave trade. The demonstration was held on May 12th 2011.
But Sweden, slave trade and the Caribbean doesn't sound natural when you think of Sweden. But long after most colonial powers abolished slavery, Sweden was still trafficking slaves. In 1847 Sweden proclaimed slavery illegal. Only then were the last slaves in the Swedish slave plantation island St Barthélemey in the West Indies set free.
The demonstration in Stockholm was not only about slavery, but also against racism in general. Urbanlife.se was at the demonstration and made the following impression.
"A lot has happened in Sweden recently to believe that change is on the way. Although the change I describe is perhaps not in line with Rosa Parks refusing to sit at the back of the bus on December 1, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, it is however, the first time in Sweden's history where ‘Afro-Swedes’ – a term people of African and Caribbean descent fight to be addressed as - have joined together in protest.
The demonstration in Stockholm held on May 12th draws attention to the bill initiated by Gustav Fridolin (Miljöpartiet) regarding the transatlantic slave trade that Sweden was a part of, but which has not yet been recognized by the Swedish government. This is something that Gustav now wants to change and therefore has written this bill. There was a chorus of dissatisfaction amongst the crowd with the announcement that the bill had been dismissed earlier that afternoon. "
Read the full story at Urbanlife.se
Some links and a video:
EU network: Sweden passive on 'slave auction'
Sweden’s slave trade
Swedish slave trade in Ghana
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