‘These were either the Grey Wolves, which are not banned in Sweden, or pro-Azerbaijani activists’: Lusine Djanyan on looting of Armenian church in Sweden

As reported earlier, the Armenian Church of St. Mary was looted and vandalized in the Swedish city of Södertälje. The criminals entered the church and stole items of financial and spiritual value.

Speaking with Alpha News, Lusine Djanyan, a representative of the Armenian community in Sweden and activist, commented on the act of vandalism committed against the Armenian church.

“At the moment, it is known that the Armenian Apostolic Church was vandalized and looted. This happened, as I understand it, late in the evening, or rather at night. The police website posted a photo of a damaged keyhole and door, and I also read that valuable items were stolen.

All this is perceived not only as a simple burglary but also as an act against freedom of religion. There was a small Armenian community in Sweden, but after the war in Syria, many Armenians came here. But the point is that when Aliyev started the war against Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020, the Armenians of Sweden began to speak out and go to rallies. I personally went to the Turkish and Azerbaijani embassies. And back then, three years ago, attacks began against Armenians, Armenian activists, and attacks began on Armenian cemeteries in Stockholm.

And the last time such attacks took place was literally this September, when unknown—but it can be assumed that it was either the ultra-right Turkish organization ‘Grey Wolves’, which is not banned here, or pro-Azerbaijani activists—attacked Armenian graves.

When we staged a protest against the blockade, several attacks were carried out against me personally in the apartment where I live. Several times in a row, people came and barricaded the entrance with stones. That is, I personally, from my position as a political activist, see that this is not just a chain of random coincidences. This is a clear chain of persecution of the entire Armenian community of Sweden as a whole and signals to all Armenians,” Djanyan said.