Court Awards Rasmus Paludan Damages After Death Threat Incident

In a notable legal ruling, Rasmus Paludan, leader of the Danish far-right party Stram Kurs, has been awarded 10,000 kronor in damages after being threatened with death by a 21-year-old man. This decision was delivered by the Göta Court of Appeal, which reversed an earlier ruling from the Linköping District Court that had determined the threat did not merit damages.

The 21-year-old, convicted in the spring of 2022 for making the unlawful threats, had posted an explicit statement on social media expressing a desire to stone Paludan to death. The appellate court underscored the seriousness of this threat and acknowledged the fear it instilled in Paludan, stating that there was no reason to doubt his perception of the threat as extremely frightening.

The initial ruling from the district court had concluded that the nature of the threat did not violate Paludan’s personal integrity sufficiently to justify compensation. However, the appellate court’s recognition of the explicitness of the threat marks a significant divergence in the interpretations of the severity of such threats under Swedish law.