How a Swedish student’s protest against forced deportation could backfire

If the Sweden Democrats, an anti-immigration party, triumphs in the country’s general election on 9 September it won’t be thanks to Vladimir Putin, no matter how many Swedes fear his drones are trying to swamp them with internet propaganda. It will be Elin Ersson wot swung it for them – along with the police and authorities at Gothenburg Airport. Ms Ersson filmed herself refusing to sit down on a Turkey-bound plane until a failed asylum-seeker, who was being deported to Afghanistan, was removed. He duly was.   

Students have been doing this sort of thing for decades, of course – albeit without the benefit of live-streaming on social media, but just why did the airport authorities make it so easy for Ms Ersson? There is now some talk of her being prosecuted, even jailed – something which would be over the top, achieve nothing but generate sympathy and is highly unlikely to happen.