Cars set on fire as people riot against police in Sweden
The scenes took place just hours after the country’s Prime Minister, Stefan Löfven, slammed Donald Trump for claiming Sweden was in crisis as a result of its liberal refugee policy.
Stockholm police were forced to fire a shot into the crowd in the hard-hit suburb of Rinkeby, after a mob of around 30 began attacking officers with rocks.
Violence erupted after the police had tried to arrest a wanted person on the subway.
Sylvia Odin, of the Stockholm police, said: “There was stone throwing and they were placed in a situation where a number of people jointly attacked and threw stones. They felt vulnerable and threatened.
“The initial information we received was that a warning shot [was fired] but when the picture cleared, it turned out it was for effect [meaning it was intended to hit the target].”
Another officer told Aftonbladet: “The police were cornered between the stone throwers and their car and shot towards the stone thrower but missed.”
In addition to the police being attacked, emergency services had their hands full as 10 cars were set alight in Rinkeby.
A photographer from Dagens Nyheter was also reportedly attacked during the clashes as he said a group of around 15 people had assaulted him when he arrived in Rinkeby to report on the unrest.
"I was hit with a lot of punches and kicks both to my body and my head. I have spent the night in hospital," he said.
Sweden in CHAOS as police lose control
They felt vulnerable and threatened
No suspects have been arrested after the clashes, however officers are treating the incident as a riot and assault on police.
The shocking attack on officers came after President Trump told a rally in Florida over the weekend that Sweden was facing a crisis after Fox News aired a segment where a gloomy picture of Sweden was portrayed.
He said: "You look at what's happening in Germany, you look at what's happening last night in Sweden.
“Sweden, who would believe this? Sweden. They took in large numbers. They're having problems like they never thought possible.”
Hitting back at the Republican’s claims, Mr Löfven said: "I was, like many others I believe, surprised by the comments made about Sweden this weekend.
"We have opportunities, we have challenges, we're working (on) them every day. But I think also we must all take responsibility for using facts correctly, and for verifying any information that we spread.”
While former Swedish PM Carl Bildt roared on Twitter: "Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound.”
On Monday, he added: "Last year there were app 50 per cent more murders only in Orlando/Orange in Florida, where Trump spoke the other day, than in all of Sweden. Bad.”
Footage of the riot comes just weeks after three police officers were taken to hospital after being attacked by a mob in Rinkeby.
The furious debate about Sweden’s existential crisis comes as officials have placed more than 50 areas on a high risk list where they admit they do not have control.
Police: There are no 'no-go zones' in Sweden
In a seething post, Peter Springare, who works as an investigator for the police in Örebro, a small city in southern Sweden wrote: “I’m so f***** tired. What I’m writing here isn’t politically correct. But I don’t care.
“Our pensioners are on their knees, the schools are a mess, healthcare is an inferno, the police is completely destroyed. Everyone knows why, but no one dares or wants to say why.”