Four young men linked to Sweden's neo-Nazi activist club movement stand trial for multiple racist attacks during one night in Stockholm. They deny all allegations of coordinated violence.
In Stockholm District Court, the accused men gave testimony during the trial's second day. All are in their twenties and spoke briefly but clearly.
During police questioning, the quartet answered nearly all questions with "no comment." In court they became slightly more talkative, yet none recalled anything beyond what surveillance footage showed. None would discuss their companions' actions.
"I will only talk about myself," became a recurring statement.
They claimed the subway assault involved self-defense. One defendant stated, "I perceived he stood up very quickly and aggressively."
None acknowledged victims were targeted due to ethnicity. They insisted the evening simply involved "having some beers in good company."
All denied holding far-right views despite evidence. Police found Hitler's "Mein Kampf" in one defendant's home, who commented, "I think history is cool."
Final victim testimonies concluded today. One witness described seeing attackers "appearing to enjoy it, like they were laughing."
A man in his forties testified about being struck from behind in the worst assault. "I remember one word, it was 'fuck you'," he said through an interpreter.
He required multiple dental implants and suffers persistent headaches and hearing problems. The psychological impact affected him most deeply.
"I haven't attacked anyone, wasn't aggressive toward anyone, so why? This is a shame for me," he told the court.
When asked about being attacked for his skin color and ethnicity, he responded, "Like you're excluded, like an outcast."
The charges against the four men include aggravated assault, assault, and robbery.
The first attack occurred on Kungsgatan where the group allegedly assaulted a man heading home from work. They reportedly hit him with an umbrella, kicked him while down, and stole his cap and headphones while shouting racist slurs.
Minutes later, a solitary man smoking on Birger Jarlsgatan received a blow to the head and fell. Attackers continued kicking and punching his body and head while he lay defenseless. He lost several teeth and experiences lasting head pain and hearing loss.
Shortly thereafter, three men assaulted another victim on the subway. Surveillance footage clearly shows their faces during the unprovoked attack with punches and kicks.
The defendants' claims of casual social drinking contradict the coordinated nature of these racially motivated attacks across central Stockholm locations.