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Four AIK Supporters Acquitted in Banner Case Targeting Former Police Chief

Crime & justiceCrime
Four AIK Supporters Acquitted in Banner Case Targeting Former Police Chief
Key Points
  • Four AIK supporters were acquitted by Solna District Court after being charged with assault on a public official.
  • The charges stemmed from a banner displayed during a September 2025 match that targeted former police chief Per Engström.
  • The court ruled the banner was protected by freedom of speech and caused no harm to Engström.

Four AIK supporters have been acquitted by Solna District Court after being charged with assault on a public official for displaying a banner targeting former police chief Per Engström. According to reports from Sportbladet and Expressen Sport, the incident occurred during a match between AIK and Brommapojkarna in September 2025 when supporters displayed a banner reading 'Fängsla Per Engström – rädda svensk fotboll' (Imprison Per Engström – save Swedish football). At the time, Engström was chief of the National Operational Department (Noa) within the Swedish police.

The supporters were charged under a 2025 reform aimed at strengthening protections for public officials against violence, harassment, and threats. The prosecutor had sought day fines, but all four defendants denied the charges. The court ruled that the banner did not cause Engström any harm, suffering, or inconvenience, and determined that the supporters acted within the bounds of freedom of speech.

The acquittal was announced on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

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