The history of the autonomous scene in Sweden

The Swedish autonomous scene is not a continuation of the far left movement of the 1960s and 1970s, although they share similar ideological origins. Rather, it has its roots in the 1980s squatter movement.

Even though its ideological origins stretches back to the anarchism and libertarian socialism of the 1840s, the autonomous scene only emerged in the 1980s in connection with the squatter movement. The occupations on Skaraborgsgatan and Luntmakargatan in 1985 and 1986 in Stockholm were especially important for the emergence of the movement in Sweden.

The autonomous scene was coined as a term in the late 1980s, through influence from the Danish squatter movement. It has no direct links to the far left movement of the 1960s and 1970s, which by many within the scene is regarded as hierarchal and authoritarian communism.

The issues championed by the autonomous scene gradually widened in scope during the 1980s and moved beyond those solely concerned with housing policy. Since 1990, the fight against the growing White Power scene has emerged as their number one cause.

Antifascistisk action (AFA) first surfaced in 1991 in connection with the manifestations of the White Power scene on the anniversary of the death of Karl XII. However, it was not until 1993 that AFA was set up as a nation-wide network, a result of a long standing ambition to better organise the anarchist movement in Sweden.

Updated: 2010-07-28

Regional activities

Map of Sweden with the Security Services regional units and the counties they are responsible for marked out

Five regional units with regional offices across the country are responsible for the Service's activities in a number of counties.

To contact details for the regional units