Swedes Gone Mad

What's with the usually cool -- some would say cold -- Swedes? In a country most known for suicide, all of a sudden, people have gone on a rampage over the death of an old guy who, supposedly, threatened police officers with a machete and got killed by them. Then, all hell has broken loose, and taking a page from the French protest book, the Swedes spend their nights burning cars, a curious practice if there ever was one. Now, what burning Saabs and Volvos has to do with anything is beyond me.

The whole world is shocked at the Swedish reaction to a possible case of police brutality or excessive use of force. Even if that were to be the case, five nights of car burning is an excessive response of civil outrage. Especially for a country much admired around the world for its civilized lifestyle.

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