Bor¥s: A Swedish court has sentenced a man to three years in prison for driving into a pro-Palestinian demonstration and spreading hateful posts on social media.

According to Ghana News Agency, the court also ordered the man to pay 1.8 million Swedish kronor ($190,800) in damages to 36 victims. The incident occurred in August 2024, when the 69-year-old drove into a demonstration of more than 80 participants in the pedestrian zone of Bor¥s. The demonstration was in support of Palestinians amid the ongoing Gaza conflict.

The court in Bor¥s convicted the man of attempted grievous bodily harm and incitement to hatred. It determined that his actions were deliberate and reckless, posing a threat to many demonstrators. The court noted that his actions were at least partly motivated by the Palestinian roots of some participants.

Despite the severity of the actions, the court considered the man’s age as a mitigating factor. He denied criminal responsibility, claiming he accidentally entered the pedestrian zone. However, the court concluded that he deliberately drove towards the demonstration after realizing its purpose.

The court also noted that after initially driving into the crowd, the man reversed several times towards the demonstrators. Fortunately, while two people were hit, no serious injuries were reported.