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Comments:  218
Last update - 19:13 03/04/2009
Andy Ram: Sweden protest was first time I felt anti-Israel hate
By Haaretz Service and The Associated Press
Tags: Tennis, Israel News, Sweden 

Israeli tennis player Andy Ram spoke of his shock Saturday after rock-throwing demonstrators tried to storm a Sweden-Israel tennis match in the Swedish city of Malmo.

"They broke everything here and the images are distressing and disgusting," Ram said. "This was the first time I have come across such a demonstration and felt the hatred toward Israelis."

Dozens of anti-Israel protesters clashed with police Saturday in an attempt to storm the closed arena where the two teams were playing a Davis Cup tennis match.
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About 100 people were apprehended and at least six were formally arrested for rioting, Malmo police spokeswoman Ewa Westford said. There were no reports of injuries.

The activists hurled rocks and firecrackers at police vans as they tried to break through the barricades set up to keep protesters from the arena. Hundreds of riot police pushed them back using truncheons.

The Israeli and Swedish tennis players only found out about the violence after the doubles match, which went ahead as planned. Sweden won that match in four sets to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five contest.

"We knew there were going to be a few thousand people screaming out there," Ram said. "Inside here we didn't feel anything. The police did a good job."

After the protesters dispersed, clashes continued in other parts of the city as police encircled groups of activists and took them into custody.

The violence started after about 7,000 people gathered at a square in downtown Malmo to hear speeches condemning Israel's offensive in Gaza and urging support for Palestinians.

Organizers of the Stop the Match protest had said the demonstration would be peaceful, but extreme-left activists had vowed to disrupt the Davis Cup series, which is being played without fans in Malmo, Sweden's third largest city.

Sweden's Left Party leader Lars Ohly told the crowd that the European Unionand the rest of the world "should boycott the racist regime in Israel."

Chanting anti-Israel slogans, the protesters then marched toward the Baltic Hall arena, where some of them tried to break through the police barrier.

About 1,000 police from southern Sweden were deployed in Malmo to keep the protesters from entering the arena.

Only about 300 special guests were allowed to watch the match because Malmo officials said they couldn't guarantee security at the venue. Critics,
including the Israeli team, said Malmo authorities were caving in to anti-Israel groups.

Ram said it was a stupid decision to play behind closed doors.

"Playing without a crowd is like playing a practice match," he said.


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      1.   Paying for Israel 17:32  |  Stepan 07/03/09
      2.   The Swedes are finnaly getting 17:43  |  PARIS 07/03/09
      3.   sweden is starting to get scary to live in 17:53  |  hampus 07/03/09
      4.   Thought/question of the day.. 18:00  |  CaptAhab 07/03/09
      5.   signs of the times 18:46  |  davidson county 07/03/09
      6.   #4 Police clearly stated no security concerns 18:48  |  Johnny 07/03/09
      7.   Lock `em up 18:53  |  Welshman 07/03/09
      8.   Watch newsclip from the clashes with the police 19:02  |  Johnny 07/03/09
      9.   Malmö an occupied city 19:10  |  Fredrik 07/03/09
      10.   This reminds me of Europe in the 1930s...!! 19:11  |  Hilda 07/03/09
      11.   Nr 2, are you sure? 19:23  |  Hannes 07/03/09
      12.   # 1 paris what do you mean the Swedes are getting? 19:23  |  Axel 07/03/09
      13.   I would have thought that Hamas` love for Bashir 19:30  |  H 07/03/09
      14.   #5 Whatta Joke 19:37  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/03/09
      15.   #2 hampus 19:37  |  David 07/03/09
      16.   Where the "religion of peace" goes 19:44  |  Rory 07/03/09
      17.   #7 Johnny 19:46  |  David 07/03/09
      18.   The people all over the world have an excuse to 19:52  |  Maria 07/03/09
      19.   The countries all over the world are in big trouble without 19:55  |  MMM 07/03/09
      20.   #8: Sports and Politics Vs. Civilians and Fighters 19:59  |  CaptAhab 07/03/09
      21.   Doesn`t make sense 20:16  |  Colin Wright 07/03/09
      22.   WTF @ pro-zionists 20:22  |  Thomas 07/03/09
      23.   I Agree with you Hannes 20:31  |  Toufik 07/03/09
      24.   Why only Arabs in Swden? 20:34  |  Chiribom 07/03/09
      25.   # 11 wandering Jew 20:37  |  Axel 07/03/09
      26.   # 8 welshman 20:40  |  Axel 07/03/09
      27.   to #1 20:54  |  Josh 07/03/09
      28.   pathetic 21:06  |  doug 07/03/09
      29.   The Swedes have chosen..... 21:11  |  Arnold 07/03/09
      30.   Swedish protest against Israel 21:13  |  Ray Gordon 07/03/09
      31.   More on Malmo & Sweden 21:13  |  Gil 07/03/09
      32.   Sweden`s Left Party leader Lars Ohly 21:14  |  Joshua 07/03/09
      33.   Att. Chiriborn 21:21  |  Eric 07/03/09
      34.   unreal 21:22  |  alex 07/03/09
      35.   #28 Thomas Who are you trying to kid? 21:23  |  H 07/03/09
      36.   I see from the photograph 21:26  |  H 07/03/09
      37.   So said the nation that armed the Wehrmacht 21:26  |  Steve from Raleigh 07/03/09
      38.   David in Stockholm 21:27  |  Zelkha 07/03/09
      39.   Well, good you should feel it 21:30  |  Student 07/03/09
      40.   Sweden 21:32  |  Jean-Paul Walshaw 07/03/09
      41.   most Swedes already boycot Israel and Jewish products 21:32  |  Nils 07/03/09
      42.   Utterly reprehensible 21:41  |  Rob 07/03/09
      43.   Sweden Protest and hatred towards Israelis 21:13  |  sean 07/03/09
      44.   Jews attended the protests 21:53  |  Kenneth 07/03/09
      45.   keep sports out of politics 21:54  |  American 07/03/09
      46.   Welcome to the New Islamic Europe 22:02  |  Baruch Gold 07/03/09
      47.   RAW: Video footage from the "demonstration" 22:04  |  Kenneth 07/03/09
      48.   Again, would this have happened, it Israel had withdrawn..... 22:07  |  Swiss (Dino) 07/03/09
      49.   Sow The Wind And Reap The Whirlwind 22:11  |  chet 07/03/09
      50.   A wakeup call to Israelis 22:17  |  Arik Silverman 07/03/09
      51.   #7 Welshman..out of sight out of mind 22:21  |  maoriboy 07/03/09
      52.   #31 Thomas, Trondheim 22:23  |  Chris 07/03/09
      53.   history repeats its self. 22:26  |  sam 07/03/09
      54.   There was not that much violence 22:27  |  Christian 07/03/09
      55.   Protesters 22:28  |  Sergio B. 07/03/09
      56.   # Malmö an occupied city 22:30  |  Yokum 07/03/09
      57.   to number 3: Hampus 22:32  |  John 07/03/09
      58.   Q.:When will Sweden join the Arab League? A.: Within 8-10 years, 22:38  |  AIG 07/03/09
      59.   Short memory 22:39  |  Fenno-Ugrian 07/03/09
      60.   Immigrants?? # 24 Chiribom 22:48  |  Peter 07/03/09
      61.   get used to it! 22:48  |  samos 07/03/09
      62.   Muslims in Sweden 22:52  |  Peter 07/03/09
      63.   Get used to it 22:54  |  Phil Craig 07/03/09
      64.   Sport and politics 22:54  |  Hans 07/03/09
      65.   we love Sweden, we hate Israel 23:00  |  Demonstrator 07/03/09
      66.   Stepan from Malmo 23:02  |  Dan 07/03/09
      67.   Chris Linthwaste at it again 23:10  |  Mark 07/03/09
      68.   Andy Ram needs better training 23:11  |  Axel 07/03/09
      69.   I wish all Israelis would understand how urgent it is 23:26  |  Fortuna Benmayor 07/03/09
      70.   #28 Arik Siverman - You don`t get it! 23:34  |  Giora 07/03/09
      71.   And The Rockets Continue To Fall On Israel 23:35  |  James 07/03/09
      72.   #34: Actually, they are. The real reason they are "stuck" 23:40  |  5th generation 07/03/09
      73.   We love our Arabs and hate our Jews! 23:42  |  Swede 07/03/09
      74.   Lars Ohly is a cheapskate Swede 23:52  |  Star of David 07/03/09
      75.   #37,Sport and politics 23:56  |  Bruce 07/03/09
      76.   Response to PARIS and Hampus from NORWAY 00:00  |  Erik Hoffmoen 08/03/09
      77.   # 35 aig 00:00  |  Axel 08/03/09
      78.   #36, Very short memory 00:01  |  Bruce 08/03/09
      79.   Get used to it. 00:05  |  liam 08/03/09
      80.   Amazing 00:06  |  Michael 08/03/09
      81.   Phil Craig, we got used to it 00:08  |  Bruce 08/03/09
      82.   why can`t muslims protest peacefully? 00:11  |  Adrien 08/03/09
      83.   The Seal of the prophets 00:16  |  Yonatan 08/03/09
      84.   What`s funny about this article 00:19  |  Yonatan 08/03/09
      85.   #15 00:25  |  hampus 08/03/09
      86.   Stupid people... 00:26  |  Mikael 08/03/09
      87.   then they came for the swedes 00:27  |  ari 08/03/09
      88.   MATURE ANDY RAM 00:29  |  JOHN ISH ISHMAEL 08/03/09
      89.   #46 James cries foul play. 00:30  |  maoriboy 08/03/09
      90.   #8 Johnny - I watched the newsclip 00:32  |  Yonatan 08/03/09
      91.   OPPOSITE IS TRUE IN ISRAEL #48 00:33  |  JOHN ISH ISHMAEL 08/03/09
      92.   Let Freedom Ring! 00:34  |  Alex 08/03/09
      93.   Chris Lintwat:airs and graces 00:39  |  Star of David 08/03/09
      94.   #11 Sweds now restrict Arab immigration 00:44  |  Dean Blake 08/03/09
      95.   #15 David 00:46  |  Sarah 08/03/09
      96.   Demographic problem 00:57  |  Sarah 08/03/09
      97.   MOSLEM riters rule the roost in 00:59  |  PETER SM 08/03/09
      98.   Muslims Have Invaded Sweden 01:00  |  Bill Foonman 08/03/09
      99.   #57 Adrien 01:01  |  Sarah 08/03/09
      100.   Swedens leaders fan such hatred by condemning Israel for defense 01:03  |  r 08/03/09
      101.   And Everyone One of Them 01:03  |  Angela 08/03/09
      102.   Happy that the message got through 01:06  |  Gustav 08/03/09
      103.   PHOTO shows the new face of Malmo 01:12  |  PETER SM 08/03/09
      104.   Sweden and the dark forces 01:17  |  Brod 08/03/09
      105.   Troublemakers United. 01:20  |  Alessandro 08/03/09
      106.   # 95 sarah 01:23  |  Axel 08/03/09
      107.   Careful what you wish for. 01:23  |  Colin Wright 08/03/09
      108.   Anti-semitism 01:25  |  Gustav 08/03/09
      109.   To Johnny #8 `Watch newsclip` 01:27  |  Colin Wright 08/03/09
      110.   To Brod #104 `Sweden and the Dark Forces` 01:34  |  Colin Wright 08/03/09
      111.   #100 01:37  |  Gustav 08/03/09
      112.   It`s Anti-Semitism, Hostoric Hate is for Jews, not Israel 01:44  |  david 08/03/09
      113.   Euro Leftists here are so funny ... 01:46  |  GZLives 08/03/09
      114.   For Gustav 01:57  |  Fortuna Benmayor 08/03/09
      115.   No. 1--Where is the money spent? 01:59  |  a wandering Jew 08/03/09
      116.   Axel, Jews Outnumbered 500 to 1 why ALWAYS curse berate underdog? 02:00  |  david 08/03/09
      117.   UN 242 02:01  |  Mikael 08/03/09
      118.   #109 Colin - I`m not condemning the native Swedes 02:04  |  Johnny 08/03/09
      119.   PHOTO: Must Be Trying On his Purim Costume? 02:04  |  david 08/03/09
      120.   No. 25 02:06  |  a wandering Jew 08/03/09
      121.   #100 1,000,000 Jewish refigees from Arab countries 02:06  |  Liliane 08/03/09
      122.   #67 however 02:08  |  Chris Linthwaite 08/03/09
      123.   Gustav #111 02:10  |  Mikael 08/03/09
      124.   welshman 02:10  |  welshwoman 08/03/09
      125.   # 113 gzlives 02:13  |  Axel 08/03/09
      126.   UN 242 again 02:14  |  Mikael 08/03/09
      127.   My reponse #72 was intended for Yokum, now #57 02:20  |  5th generation 08/03/09
      128.   Says a lot more about the state of Sweden than about Israel 02:21  |  McQueen 08/03/09
      129.   Demonstrators 02:23  |  shoshanna 08/03/09
      130.   welshwoman 02:35  |  Robert 08/03/09
      131.   a failure of information 02:44  |  PAUL 08/03/09
      132.   # 116 david 03:06  |  Axel 08/03/09
      133.   For Colin 110 03:06  |  Victor 08/03/09
      134.   No Israeli Players, No Protesters. 03:07  |  Reader 08/03/09
      135.   Sweden Protest 03:15  |  Jay 08/03/09
      136.   Semitic? Most Palestinians Are Semitic. 03:17  |  Reader 08/03/09
      137.   Swedes in kuffiya? Adieu, Sweden 03:33  |  17 08/03/09
      138.   #1 Axel 03:36  |  roland 08/03/09
      139.   Are those the protesters? 03:37  |  Maria 08/03/09
      140.   Gustav, message received loud and clear 03:40  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 08/03/09
      141.   NILS...You thought that would help our global economy? 03:49  |  Maria 08/03/09
      142.   Cry Anti-Semitism 03:53  |  Linus 08/03/09
      143.   Get used to it: The world is getting sick of Israeli apartheid 04:01  |  peaclover 08/03/09
      144.   Sweeds are making a mistake if they think 04:12  |  TOMY 08/03/09
      145.   #48 Swiss , Read his post , he lost his mind 04:21  |  TOMY 08/03/09
      146.   Axelschen (nr 132) 04:22  |  Morris Valentine 08/03/09
      147.   Stupid Swedish Politicians 04:27  |  Alex 08/03/09
      148.   Anti-Israel hate is really hating G-d 04:35  |  Paulette 08/03/09
      149.   64 YEARS AFTER HOLOCAUST 04:41  |  indrajaya 08/03/09
      150.   As a proud Muslim gay American I support this protest 04:44  |  Yaakov Sulivan 08/03/09
      151.   Jay I hope for Sharia laws in Sweden AND in USA 04:50  |  Yaakov Sullivan 08/03/09
      152.   #134, Reader 04:52  |  Bruce 08/03/09
      153.   is it realy hate 04:56  |  cohen 08/03/09
      154.   Andy Ram 05:09  |  Joan 08/03/09
      155.   Do Not Allow Islamic Hatred To prevail 05:09  |  Baruch Gold 08/03/09
      156.   re: peaclover 05:12  |  UsedToPostHere 08/03/09
      157.   Chiribom - No Sweeden allows other too 05:14  |  David Israel 08/03/09
      158.   the kafeyeh as a symbol of antisemitism - 05:16  |  witheld 08/03/09
      159.   Swiss (Dino) #48 05:18  |  David Israel 08/03/09
      160.   Colin Wright 05:18  |  RAmbo 08/03/09
      161.   for welshwoman 05:19  |  Cohen 08/03/09
      162.   You are not Yaacov 05:23  |  Rambo 08/03/09
      163.   Can you imagine Baruch 05:29  |  Joan 08/03/09
      164.   Have you read the TORAH #147 05:30  |  Cohen 08/03/09
      165.   chiribum one plus one 05:33  |  Cohen 08/03/09
      166.   Protest against Israel 05:44  |  balanced view 08/03/09
      167.   An apology 05:48  |  Christopher Aqurette 08/03/09
      168.   #10 Hilda 06:24  |  Mark B. 08/03/09
      169.   I wouldn`t be surprised if... 06:27  |  Mary Witherspoon 08/03/09
      170.   Ram does not find occupation disgusting. 06:32  |  American 08/03/09
      171.   Ram does not find occupation disgusting. 06:32  |  American 08/03/09
      172.   #29 Arnold in Canada, what do you expect? 06:33  |  Mark B. 08/03/09
      173.   200 Palestinian hooligans tell the Swedes how to behave 06:35  |  x-ray 08/03/09
      174.   Shoshanna - Difference was it had nothing to do with football 06:38  |  GZLives 08/03/09
      175.   #135 to 17, Kuffiya`s on lots of places 06:39  |  Mark B. 08/03/09
      176.   Axel about `Haredi protest` 06:40  |  x-ray 08/03/09
      177.   To all Israel responders and sympathizers 06:42  |  American 08/03/09
      178.   Thomas 06:42  |  x-ray 08/03/09
      179.   Axel - You are the funniest of all 06:43  |  GZLives 08/03/09
      180.   not anti-Israel....Jew-hatred! Call it as it is. 06:49  |  Mark 08/03/09
      181.   Nils ... you think your stupid boycotts work? hahahah 06:56  |  GZLives 08/03/09
      182.   kuffiyas 06:59  |  Joan 08/03/09
      183.   Cohen - You ought to consider stand up comedy 07:00  |  Fake Buster 08/03/09
      184.   Boycot 41 07:09  |  Anthony 08/03/09
      185.   THE new face of Malmo? Out of controll rioters 07:20  |  PETER SM 08/03/09
      186.   PEACE LOVER Since when is a shouter in a Keffiyeh the world? 07:28  |  PETER SM 08/03/09
      187.   Isareli players did not live upto standards , simple is that 07:33  |  Biddut Miah 08/03/09
      188.   Anti-semitism is the crutch Israel was built upon 08:07  |  David 08/03/09
      189.   132 axle on importance 08:32  |  Ari ben Yisrael 08/03/09
      190.   "Get used to it" losers 08:33  |  Rich 08/03/09
      191.   136 Roland---Arabic for Dummies. 08:39  |  Ari ben Yisrael 08/03/09
      192.   #106 Axel 08:45  |  Sarah 08/03/09
      193.   Sven, the Wonder Dog 08:46  |  Sven 08/03/09
      194.   Watched the video. Poor Sweden.Poor pathetic police of Sweden... 08:46  |  bat yam 08/03/09
      195.   To Rambo #160 `Colin Wright` 09:28  |  Colin Wright 08/03/09
      196.   Not all Swedes think this way! 09:54  |  ville a.k.a elrond 08/03/09
      197.   You should read 242 yourself Maoriboy 10:01  |  Michael 08/03/09
      198.   Bruce Livingstone NJ 10:35  |  lily 08/03/09
      199.   #197 Michael 12:03  |  maoriboy 08/03/09
      200.   197 michael 14:08  |  Axel 08/03/09
      201.   #182 Joan about kuffiyas 14:14  |  chiara 08/03/09
      202.   Blame Israeli war crimes for causing hatred towards Israeli 14:50  |  terry 08/03/09
      203.   201# Axel 15:02  |  Mikael 08/03/09
      204.   Check it out yourselves Maoriboy and Axel 17:02  |  Michael 08/03/09
      205.   acting naive 17:09  |  hussein 08/03/09
      206.   Sweden and demonstrations 18:24  |  Anna 08/03/09
      207.   Colin Wright Response to Rambo 18:55  |  Rambo 08/03/09
      208.   Where is thr real Yaakov Sullivan 19:10  |  Arnold 08/03/09
      209.   Do these words sound familiar Terry? 19:17  |  Michael 08/03/09
      210.   A video on Malmo riots in Christmas 19:54  |  Malmostan 08/03/09
      211.   What motivates Hamas? 19:57  |  Aliza 08/03/09
      212.   Okay, a post with a link doesn`t jibe well 20:28  |  Michael 08/03/09
      213.   terry #202 20:35  |  Cricket and Tea 08/03/09
      214.   protest 20:43  |  flo 08/03/09
      215.   where the peace? 20:44  |  flo 08/03/09
      216.   #46 22:13  |  Ram 08/03/09
      217.   #212 Michael ..reality check 2nd try 23:43  |  maoriboy 08/03/09
      218.   Question to Michael, Jerusalem 23:58  |  Axel 08/03/09
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