Many twitter users have been scratching their heads as they try to figure out what really happened in Sweden. Hilarious jokes about getting lost in an Ikea have been posted alongside photos of Swedish pop group ABBA accompanied by comments about the Fish candy. President Donald Trump has ignited a social media firestorm after he alleged that something nefarious had recently taken place in Sweden.
Speaking at the campaign rally in Melbourne, Florida, Trump pointed out at what’s happening in Sweden, adding that no one would believe it. Trump continued saying that Sweden took in large numbers and as a result the country is having problems like they never thought possible. However, Trump did not specifically say that there was a terror attack, thus leaving his audience to speculate, he however pointed out at the attacks that have occurred in Paris and Nice, France.
To set everything into perspective, Trump tweeted on Sunday afternoon clarifying that he’s intent was to infer to a story that was broadcasted on @FoxNews concerning immigrants & Sweden. It’s without a doubt that the President’s statements prompted several hashtags trends on Twitter such as #PrayForSweden, #LastNightInSweden, #swedenincident, in the speech which blasted fake news. Trump’s statements came several weeks after senior adviser Kellyanne Conway cited a nonexistent Bowling Green massacre in several news interviews.
In retaliation, former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt tweeted saying “Sweden? Terror Attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound,”
The Sweden Twitter account also tweeted a thread after Trump’s initial statements saying that nothing has happened in Sweden, adding that there has not been any terrorist attacks at all. The same account retweeted again saying that if anyone had missed it, nothing had happened in Sweden and that there’s no terrorattack or anything of the sort.
In an interview on Friday night’s Tucker Carlson Tonight, the Fox News segment interviewed Ami Horowitz on a documentary he is making about Sweden. Horowitz is a filmmaker and media personality, he claimed that there’s an absolute surge in gun violence and rape in Sweden after they began the open-door policy.
The 2016 Swedish Crime Survey pointed out that the crime rates have remained steady, with some fluctuations over the past decade and a small spike in 2013 before a down trend was observed. Horowitz also blasted Sweden saying that the country often tries to cover up these crimes.
Amidst the jokes on Twitter, users defended Trump by citing the 2012 U.N. report which points out that Sweden has had the highest rate of police-recorded rape offences in Europe.
SOURCE: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/trump-sweden-twitter-235196
