Kent Ekeroth#Political career

Ekeroth was born in Malmö to a family of Kazakhstani-Jewish descent. His mother Janina Kazarina{{cite news|first=Kenan|last=Habul|url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/samhalle/a/qnkyX1/sd-petar-kent-ekeroth-fran-riksdagslistan|title=SD petar Kent Ekeroth från riksdagslistan|newspaper=Aftonbladet|date=22 February 2018|access-date=23 February 2018|language=Swedish}}{{cite journal|title=Kent Ekeroth: Juderna är nyttiga idioter för muslimarna|url=http://www.webbkampanj.com/judiskkronika/1006|journal=Judisk Krönika, No. 6 2010|access-date=8 December 2013|language=Swedish}}{{cite news |title=Har Sverigedemokraterna blivit mångkulturella? |url=http://www.eaec-se.org/articles/Johansen/har_sverigedemokraterna_blivit_mangkulturella.htm |website=European American Evangelistic Crusades |access-date=6 May 2019 |language=Swedish}} was originally from Kazakhstan in Central Asia{{cite news|first=Raphael|last=Ahren|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/swedish-proudly-nationalist-jewish/|title=In pro-Palestine Sweden, far-right Jewish lawmaker embraces Israel|newspaper=The Times of Israel|date=20 October 2014|access-date=22 June 2017}} (which was then part of the Soviet Union), who arrived as a refugee from Poland to Sweden in the 1970s,{{cite news|first=Göran|last=Rosenberg|url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/kultur/bokrecensioner/article23824563.ab|title=SD och hatet går hand i hand|newspaper=Aftonbladet|date=1 November 2016|access-date=6 May 2019|language=Swedish}} together with her mother, Ekeroth's grandmother and sisters.{{cite news|first=Johan|last=Hilton|url=http://www.expressen.se/kultur/utom-lilla-mamma/|title=Utom lilla mamma|newspaper=Expressen|date=10 September 2012|access-date=22 June 2017|language=Swedish}} He has a twin brother Ted Ekeroth who is also active in the Sweden Democrats and was a former member of Lund City Council.{{cite web |url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/BJrK6v/tvillingbroderna-startar-kampanj-mot-muslimer |title=Tvillingbröderna startar kampanj mot muslimer |access-date=2025-01-13}} In a 2012 interview, Ekeroth said that he identified as culturally Jewish with an atheistic life stance.{{cite news|first=Annika|last=Hamrud|url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/debatt/article15801675.ab|title=Annika Hamrud: Almqvist offras för att rädda Ekeroth|newspaper=Aftonbladet|date=20 November 2012|access-date=22 June 2017|language=Swedish}}

In a National Swedish Radio interview conducted in 2012,{{cite news|url=http://sverigesradio.se/sida/avsnitt/1964?programid=909|title=Kent och Abir|website=Sveriges Radio|date=9 September 2012|access-date=22 June 2017|language=Swedish}} Ekeroth traced the origins of his political views to his time at Östergårds School in Halmstad in an immigrant-dominated class. He said that his school saw conflicts between pupils if different foreign backgrounds and that he was bullied by "groups of immigrants from Africa and the Middle East" and connected his experience to the overall immigration problems.{{cite news|first=Kenny|last=Hjälte|url=http://www.hallandsposten.se/nyheter/halmstad/mobbning-i-halmstad-pr%C3%A4glade-ekeroth-sd-1.1606408|title=Mobbning i Halmstad präglade Ekeroth (SD)|newspaper=Hallandsposten|date=15 November 2012|access-date=22 June 2017|language=Swedish}} Journalist Gellert Tamas argued that a majority of students at the Halmstad school were Swedish or had their background in Eastern Europe.{{cite book|title=Det svenska hatet — En berättelse om vår tid|last=Tamas|first=Gellert|date=2016|publisher=Natur & Kultur|isbn=978-91-27-14896-3|location=Sweden|page=90|language=Swedish}} Other students from his time at Östergårds have said in interviews that Ekeroth was "a quiet, shy kid" and claim he was subjected to antisemitic bullying by his class and "perhaps the entire school".{{cite news|url=http://detsvenskahatet.aftonbladet.se/fran-mobbare-till-mobbad/|title=Det svenska hatet|newspaper=Aftonbladet|access-date=22 June 2017|language=Swedish}}

After graduating from high school, Ekeroth studied a bachelor's degree economics at Lund University.{{cite news|url=http://www.svd.se/nyheter/inrikes/sverigedemokrat-uppsagd_366388.svd|title=Sverigedemokrat uppsagd|last=Lutteman|first=Markus|date=31 October 2006|newspaper=Svenska Dagbladet|access-date=28 September 2010|language=Swedish}}

After graduating, Ekeroth began working at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. He wad fired from an internship at the Swedish embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel in October 2006 after the embassy had found out about his involvement with the Sweden Democrats. The embassy's actions were later criticised by the Swedish Chancellor of Justice, Göran Lambertz, who ruled that the firing was illegal and a breach of the Swedish constitutional laws.{{cite news|title=Sverigedemokrat får 30 000 i skadestånd |newspaper=Sydsvenskan |agency=TT News Agency |date=7 August 2008 |url=http://www.sydsvenskan.se/lund/article354402/Sverigedemokrat-far-30%C2%A0000-i-skadestand.html |access-date=28 September 2010 |language=Swedish |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726045120/http://www.sydsvenskan.se/lund/article354402/Sverigedemokrat-far-30%C2%A0000-i-skadestand.html |archive-date=26 July 2011}} The Ministry for Foreign Affairs, who are responsible for all Swedish embassies abroad, also had to pay damages to Ekeroth.

File:Kent Ekeroth 2014.jpg

Ekeroth joined the Sweden Democrats in 2006.{{cite news|url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article5978573.ab|title=Tvillingbröderna startar kampanj mot muslimer|last=Nilsson|first=Kerstin|date=19 October 2009|newspaper=Aftonbladet|access-date=19 October 2010|language=Swedish}} He stood for the party during the 2009 European Parliament election in Sweden and received the most personal votes out of all the candidates on the SD's list but was not elected.{{cite web |url=https://historik.val.se/val/ep2009/slutresultat/personroster.html |title=Val till Europaparlamentet - Personröster |access-date=2025-01-13}} From 2007 to 2017, he was the party's secretary for international affairs.{{cite web|url=http://kentekeroth.se/about/|title=Om mig|publisher=Kent Ekeroth|language=Swedish|access-date=28 September 2010}} He participated in an international counter-jihad conference in 2009,{{cite book|url=https://expo.se/wp-content/uploads/expo_migration/counterjihadrorelsen_en_del_av_den_antimuslimska_rorelsen_2012.pdf|title=Counterjihadrörelsen– en del av den antimuslimska miljön|first=Martha|last=Hannus|pages=18–19, 84–85|year=2012|publisher=Expo Research|language=sv|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203232308/https://expo.se/wp-content/uploads/expo_migration/counterjihadrorelsen_en_del_av_den_antimuslimska_rorelsen_2012.pdf|archive-date=3 December 2024}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jfa2DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT48|title=Liberal Roots of Far Right Activism: The Anti-Islamic Movement in the 21st Century|first=Lars Erik|last=Berntzen|year=2019|isbn=9781000707960|publisher=Routledge}} and was "deeply involved" in the counter-jihad movement{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C5Q7EAAAQBAJ&pg=PT316|title=Swedish-American Borderlands: New Histories of Transatlantic Relations|first1=Dag|last1=Blanck|first2=Adam|last2=Hjorthén|publisher=U of Minnesota|year=2021|isbn=9781452962412}} along with his twin brother, Ted Ekeroth, a local politician for the Sweden Democrats in the Lund Municipality. The two brothers were instrumental in introducing the party to the international counter-jihad movement, after Ted participated in the two inaugural official counter-jihad conferences in 2007, in Copenhagen and in Brussels. In 2011, Ekeroth and the Sweden Democrats said he was no longer involved with the counter-jihad movement.{{cite web |url=https://www.sverigesradio.se/artikel/4859373 |title=Jomshof: Inget samröre mellan Kent Ekeroth och Counter jihad längre |access-date=2025-01-13}}

Ekeroth was a member of the Riksdag from 4 October 2010 after being elected in the general election the same year. Ekeroth represented the Stockholm County constituency.{{cite web|url=http://www.riksdagen.se/Webbnav/index.aspx?nid=1811&iid=0369028728526|title=Kent Ekeroth (SD)|website=Swedish Parliament|access-date=19 October 2010|language=Swedish}} In parliament, he has been a member of the Committee on Justice and a deputy member of Committee on European Union Affairs. Ekeroth was a board member of the pan-European eurosceptic European Alliance for Freedom.{{cite web|title=About EAF|url=http://www.eurallfree.org/?q=node/65|publisher=European Alliance for Freedom|access-date=7 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326175304/http://www.eurallfree.org/?q=node/65|archive-date=26 March 2012|url-status=dead}}

In February 2018, the head of the Sweden Democrats election committee, Michael Rosenberg, confirmed that Ekeroth would not be on the party's proposed list of candidates for the parliament in the next elections. In a statement, the party leadership said "we believe that in his choice of lifestyle, conduct and judgment he fails to live up to the high standards that the party places on representatives in criminal policy issues" and that "Kent Ekeroth's trust in large parts of the public has been damaged by a number of different incidents over the years."{{cite web |url=https://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/sd-petar-kent-ekeroth-fran-riksdagslistan|title=SD petar Kent Ekeroth från riksdagslistan|access-date=2025-01-13}} In the same month, Ekeroth delivered a speech, partly in Hungarian, which was highly critical of Sweden, in the Swedish Parliament.{{cite news|first=Karin |last=Olsson|url=https://www.expressen.se/kultur/ide/varfor-pratar-en-sverigevan-ungerska-i-riksdagen/|title=Karin Olsson: Varför pratar en Sverigevän ungerska i riksdagen?|newspaper=Expressen|date=18 February 2018|access-date=23 February 2018|language=Swedish}} Ekeroth also hinted at plans of moving to Hungary, following in the footsteps of brother and former politician Ted Ekeroth.{{cite news|first=Andreas|last=Magnusson|url=https://www.magasinetparagraf.se/nyheter/kronikor/51345-ungern-det-basta-landet-i-varlden-om-man-ar-sverigedemokrat/|title=Ungern – det bästa landet i världen om man är Sverigedemokrat|work=Magasinet Para§raf|date=22 February 2018|access-date=23 February 2018|language=Swedish}}

In November 2012, Ekeroth took a break from his duties after the leakage of a video filmed with his mobile phone from an event which became known as the Iron pipe scandal.{{cite news|url=http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2054&artikel=5345662|title=Sweden Democrat Erik Almqvist steps down|website=Sveriges Radio|date=14 November 2012|access-date=22 June 2017}}{{cite news|url=http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2054&artikel=5394920|title=Sweden Democrat Almqvist leaves parliament, becomes Party's media consultant|website=Sveriges Radio|date=30 December 2012|access-date=22 June 2017}} Erik Almqvist had two years earlier published an edited version of the video to show how he and his party colleagues Ekeroth and Christian Westling had been verbally abused that evening.{{cite news|url=http://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/sverigedemokraterna/pressreleases/erik-almqvist-redogoer-foer-graelet-med-soran-ismails-gangsterkamrat-471737|title=Erik Almqvist redogör för grälet med Soran Ismails gangsterkamrat|publisher=Mynewsdesk|date=14 September 2010|access-date=22 June 2017|language=Swedish}} An unedited version of the film was released in November 2012 by Expressen which showed Almqvist and Ekeroth behaving in a threatening manner towards a young woman{{cite news|first=Rebecca|last=Martin|url=http://www.thelocal.se/20121115/44432|title=Ekeroth takes 'break' after new revelations|website=The Local|date=15 November 2012|access-date=22 June 2017}} and Almqvist using racist and sexist remarks without Ekeroth reacting against it.{{cite news|first1=David|last1=Baas|first2=Christian|last2=Holmén|url=http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/almqvist-och-ekeroth-bevapnar-sig-med-jarnror/|title=Almqvist och Ekeroth beväpnar sig med järnrör|newspaper=Expressen|date=15 November 2012|access-date=22 June 2017|language=Swedish}} While Almqvist was forced to resign, Ekeroth was allowed to remain in parliament but was removed from his role as SD legal spokesman and asked to suspend all his Committee work duties. The decision was criticized by Social Democratic Party politician and chairman of the Committee on Justice, Morgan Johansson who was quoted as saying "I wonder what his constituents will think of him being in the Riksdag and getting paid without any real duties".{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.se/sverige/|title=Ekeroth lämnar allt förutom lönen|newspaper=Dagens Nyheter|agency=TT News Agency|date=21 November 2012|access-date=22 June 2017|language=Swedish|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121127175055/http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/ekeroth-lamnar-sitt-uppdrag|archive-date=27 November 2012}} On 28 November 2012, Chief Prosecutor Mats Åhlund announced that an investigation would not be opened against Ekeroth.{{cite web |url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/utredning-efter-sd-film-laggs-ned/ |title=Utredning efter SD-film läggs ned |access-date=2025-01-13}}

Ekeroth later sued and invoiced the Swedish newspapers who used the film or stills from the event. For example, Svenska Dagbladet received an invoice of 51,725 Swedish kronor (approximately €5,500).{{cite news|first=Fredric|last=Karén|url=http://www.svd.se/nyheter/inrikes/jag-bestrider-fakturan-kent-ekeroth_8824528.svd|title=Vilket är ditt moraliska försvar, Kent Ekeroth?|newspaper=Svenska Dagbladet|date=14 December 2013|access-date=22 June 2017|language=Swedish}} Ekeroth was awarded compensation in several such cases after taking the matter to the Swedish Supreme Court.{{cite web |url=https://www.gp.se/nyheter/ekeroth-sd-far-lagre-ersattning-for-bilder-efter-hovrattens-dom.9aece02b-8214-428e-975e-b7d7804f4792 |title=Ekeroth (SD) får lägre ersättning för bilder efter hovrättens dom |access-date=2025-01-13}}

On January 24, 2013, Ekeroth's political hiatus ended when he became a deputy member of the EU Committee and the Economic and Social Affairs Committee.{{cite web |url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/politik/det-finns-en-poang-med-att-vara-anonym-pa-natet/ |title="Det finns en poäng med att vara anonym på nätet" |access-date=2025-01-13}}

Ekeroth was involved in registering the Swedish opinion and blogsite Politically Incorrect in 2011 which is loosely affiliated to the Sweden Democrats. He has denied editorial involvement in the news website Avpixlat, though he has been in communication with the editorial staff via emails and the site uses his personal bank account to manage its finances.{{cite news|first=Erik|last=Wisterberg|url=http://www.dagensmedia.se/nyheter/dig/article3721474.ece|title=Hatsajten Avpixlats frontman Mats Dagerlind nolltaxerar – jagas av fogden|newspaper=Dagens Media|date=27 June 2013|access-date=22 June 2017|language=Swedish|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180930081228/https://www.dagensmedia.se/medier/digitalt/hatsajten-avpixlats-frontman-mats-dagerlind-nolltaxerar-jagas-av-fogden-6086522|archive-date=30 September 2018}} Avpixlat has been called a "hate site", for what are claimed to be expressions of violence and xenophobia.{{cite news |url=http://www.thelocal.se/20131023/50950 |title=Swedish magnates fund infamous 'hate site' |date=23 October 2013 |work=The Local}} Ekeroth has also denied publishing any articles at the news website, but was quickly found to have published articles as recently as one month before his denial. The tax authorities also found him legally obliged to pay taxes on those donations to Avpixlat, of which 70,000 Swedish kronor had immediately been further transferred to other private accounts owned by Ekeroth.

As Avpixlat has been discontinued, Ekeroth has moved on to register the website Samhällsnytt in his name, and operate it, along with chief editor Tommy Carlsson, former Sweden Democrats politician Erik Almqvist, Russian-born{{cite news|first1=Lisa|last1=Röstlund|first2=Mattias|last2=Sandberg|first3=Richard|last3=Aschberg|url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article23449197.ab|title=Alexander, 34, är SD:s hemliga desinformatör|newspaper=Aftonbladet|date=3 September 2016|access-date=19 November 2017|language=Swedish}} journalist "Egor Putilov"{{cite news|first=Karolina|last=Skoglund|url=http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/kent-ekeroth-bakom-avpixlats-namnbyte/|title=Kent Ekeroth bakom hatsajten Avpixlats namnbyte|newspaper=Expressen|date=4 September 2017|access-date=6 May 2019|language=Swedish}} (a pseudonym for Alexander Yarovenko, currently known as Martin Dahlin),{{cite news|first1=Josefin|last1=Sköld|first2=Mattias|last2=Carlsson|url=https://www.dn.se/nyheter/har-ar-egor-putilovs-nya-identitet/|title=Här är Egor Putilovs nya identitet|newspaper=Dagens Nyheter|date=18 February 2018|access-date=23 February 2018|language=Swedish}} and others associated with Sweden Democrats.{{cite news|first1=Josefin|last1=Sköld|first2=Lisa|last2=Röstlund|url=https://www.dn.se/kultur-noje/kent-ekeroth-byter-avpixlat-mot-ny-sajt/|title=Kent Ekeroth byter Avpixlat mot ny sajt|newspaper=Dagens Nyheter|date=4 September 2017|access-date=6 May 2019|language=Swedish}}

Ekeroth has ties to Tommy Robinson, appearing on Robinson's podcast Silenced in 2024. Ekeroth had previously interviewed Robinson for Samhällsnytt in 2020, and had met in Brussels in 2010 according to Robinson.{{cite news|url=https://expo.se/nyhet/prorysk-hogerextremist-i-sverige-for-att-hjalpa-koranbrannare/|title=Prorysk högerextremist i Sverige för att hjälpa koranbrännare|first1=Erik |last1=Glaad |first2=Niclas |last2=Nilsson|work=Expo|date=1 March 2024|language=sv}}

Ekeroth resided in Budapest, Hungary, having moved there in March 2018. As of 2022, he has relocated to Sweden.{{cite news|first=Elin|last=Joleby|title=Ekeroth flyttar till Ungern – vill slippa invandrare|url=https://omni.se/ekeroth-flyttar-till-ungern-vill-slippa-invandrare/a/P3qyXJ|newspaper=Omni|date=28 March 2018|access-date=6 May 2019|language=Swedish}}

On 24 November 2016, Ekeroth was reported to the police for assault after an incident involving a 20-year-old male outside of the Solidaritet nightclub at Stureplan in Stockholm. The alleged victim claims that he made a sarcastic comment relating to the "Iron pipe scandal" towards the politician before being punched by Ekeroth. Ekeroth argued self-defense while witnesses from the queue alleged that no punches were thrown at Ekeroth by the victim or anyone else.{{cite news|first1=Linette|last1=Israelsson|first2=Hannes Lundberg|last2=Andersson|first3=Diamant|last3=Salihu|url=http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/ekeroth-polisanmald-for-misshandel-i-ko/|title=Ekeroth polisanmäld för misshandel i kö|newspaper=Expressen|date=24 November 2016|access-date=6 May 2019|language=Swedish}} Prior to the incident, Ekeroth had twice been denied entry to the nightclub in question.{{cite web|url=http://sldrtt.se/|title=Solidaritet|website=sldrtt.se|access-date=24 November 2016|language=Swedish}} The club's bouncers claim that Ekeroth was highly intoxicated and was acting aggressively at the time. According to club management, Ekeroth was denied entry to the club as they could not guarantee his and other patrons safety, due to the politician's highly intoxicated state, while Ekeroth claims that he was denied entry due to his political views and also that he was attacked one month earlier on his way from work. Journalists noted that Ekeroth has previously been involved in bar and club incidents,{{cite news|first=David|last=Baas|url=http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/har-ar-kent-ekeroths-skandalliv-inom-sd/|title=Här är Kent Ekeroths skandalliv inom SD|newspaper=Expressen|date=24 November 2016|access-date=30 November 2016|language=Swedish}} both as an attacker and a victim.{{cite news|first=Linnéa|last=Borgert|url=http://www.metro.se/nyheter/sex-andra-ganger-som-kent-ekeroth-har-hamnat-i-krogbrak/EVHpkx!rhdeDiCHLJ6/|title=Sex andra gånger som Kent Ekeroth har hamnat i krogbråk|newspaper=Metro|date=24 November 2016|access-date=22 June 2017|language=Swedish}} In response, to the incident SD leader Jimmie Akesson told Ekeroth to take a "political time out" and step down from his role in the Riksdag Justice Committee.{{cite web |url=https://www.svd.se/a/qavko/kent-ekeroth-tar-timeout-efter-krogbraket |title=Kent Ekeroth tar timeout efter krogbråket |access-date=2025-01-13}}

On 3 February 2017, following the conclusion of the investigation, the prosecutor filed charges for assault.{{cite news|first=Olof|last=Svensson|url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/samhalle/a/dW3mB/akesson-mitt-fortroende-for-ekeroth-ar-allvarligt-skadat|title=Åkesson: Mitt förtroende för Ekeroth är allvarligt skadat|newspaper=Aftonbladet|date=3 February 2017|access-date=22 June 2017|language=Swedish}} In June 2017, Ekeroth was found guilty of assault by the court found Ekeroth and he was sentenced to pay a fine.{{cite news|first1=David|last1=Baas|first2=Niklas|last2=Svensson|first3=Heidi|last3=Hendersson|url=http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/kent-ekeroth-doms-for-misshandel/?social=fb|title=Kent Ekeroth döms för ringa misshandel efter bråket i krogkön|newspaper=Expressen|date=28 June 2017|access-date=6 May 2019|language=Swedish}} The Svea Court of Appeal later overturned the verdict on the grounds that the prosecutor had failed to disprove that Ekeroth acted in self-defence.{{cite news|first=Emma|last=Löfgren|title=Sweden Democrat MP Ekeroth cleared over Stockholm club brawl|url=https://www.thelocal.se/20171201/sweden-democrat-mp-kent-ekeroth-cleared-over-stockholm-club-brawl|website=The Local|date=1 December 2017|access-date=6 May 2019}} In December 2017, Ekeroth was acquitted of all charges of assault.{{cite web |url=https://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/domen-mot-ekeroth |title=Efter misshandelsdomen – hovrätten frikänner Kent Ekeroth (SD) |access-date=2025-01-13}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://kentekeroth.se/}}
• [http://www.riksdagen.se/Webbnav/index.aspx?nid=1811&iid=0369028728526 Kent Ekeroth] at the Swedish Parliament

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ekeroth, Kent}}

Category:1981 births

Category:Living people

Category:Counter-jihad activists

Category:Jewish atheists

Category:Jewish Swedish politicians

Category:Lund University alumni

Category:Members of the Riksdag 2010–2014

Category:Members of the Riksdag 2014–2018

Category:Members of the Riksdag from the Sweden Democrats

Category:People from Lund

Category:Swedish atheists

Category:Swedish male bloggers

Category:Swedish people of Jewish descent

Category:Swedish twins