Abir Al-Sahlani, an Iraqi-born Swedish MEP representing the Centre party, has officially filed a police complaint in Sweden accusing a Danish colleague of racist hate speech. The legal action follows a series of online confrontations that occurred after Al-Sahlani condemned anti-immigration chants during a session at the European Parliament last month.
The incident began when several right-wing MEPs broke into chants of “send them back” following a vote intended to increase EU-wide deportations. In response, Al-Sahlani addressed the hemicycle, declaring that the “fascists of the far right” had reached a “new low.” She stated that she had never felt as unsafe in the parliament, emphasizing that the chants targeted ordinary people whose only “crime” was seeking a better life in Europe. Following her speech, Finnish MEP Sebastian Tynkkynen of the Finns party replied to a video of her address online by writing “Cry more,” while Danish MEP Kristoffer Storm of the Denmark Democrats suggested she “should go home.”
Al-Sahlani confirmed she filed the complaint specifically against Storm, noting that Swedish police were uncertain how to address Tynkkynen’s social media activity. Both men have denied the allegations. Storm stated in an email that his “go home” remark was not intended to be racist, explaining to Politico that he meant she would have been better off leaving the chamber if she found the democratic decision distressing. Tynkkynen dismissed the allegations of racism as “false accusations” and indicated he is considering filing his own complaint.
The controversy highlights deep divisions within the European Parliament, where right-wing populist MEPs now comprise roughly a quarter of the chamber. Al-Sahlani, who expressed sadness for the state of European democracy, noted that she initially hesitated to speak out due to her minority background but felt compelled to act because the legislation attacked the most vulnerable. Her parliamentary group, Renew Europe, has rallied behind her, with its leader Valérie Hayer calling on European Parliament President Roberta Metsola to take disciplinary action against Storm and Tynkkynen. Hayer emphasized that intimidation and harassment have no place in the institution.
President Metsola’s office described the events as “regrettable” and confirmed that parliamentary services are investigating. Addressing the chamber on Monday, Metsola declared that the aggressive behavior, including jeering and filming of members, was unacceptable and crossed a line. The legislation that sparked the initial chants has faced widespread criticism from UN experts and Amnesty International, who have labeled it discriminatory and cruel. Al-Sahlani criticized center-right parties for enabling these developments by choosing to align with the far right rather than democratic partners.
