Dimitris is tired of the killing.
He calls for demonstrations against gang violence in Sweden.
– We are very good at agreeing and gathering around issues outside of Sweden. But here domestically… Where is the commitment? Where are these banners? Where are the demonstrations?, he says.
Father and son were going to the swimming pool – but they never got there. Mikael, 39, was shot dead when he confronted a youth gang in the center of Skärholmen. The brutal murder was witnessed by his twelve-year-old son, who called 112 himself.
The murder has caused the whole of Sweden to react strongly to the fact that an innocent father has had to take his own life.
Dimitris, who co-founded “Team Big Brother”, is tired of gang crime and killing. His purpose is to act as a safe and trustworthy force in society and build relationships with young guys who are at risk of ending up in criminal circles.
– It’s terrible and it’s incredibly, incredibly sad. Another person who has died completely needlessly because of the unnecessary gun violence and because of this destructive and toxic gang culture that exists. I am tired of it and many others with me are tired of it, he says.
Want to see demonstrations
He believes that the key is to catch the children before they get blood on their hands and to be a positive role model for young people. But above all, he wants demonstrations against the gangs.
– We are very good at agreeing and gathering around issues outside of Sweden. But here domestically… Where is the commitment? Where are these banners? Where are the demonstrations? We want to put an end to this, he says.
Dimitris appeals to his “sisters and brothers” out in the suburbs.
– After all, we are the ones who own this issue in our suburbs. It’s not our politicians. They are trying to do their thing. They promise gold and green forests. But in the end, we have a strong voice in our suburbs. We are the ones who have to unite and start distancing ourselves and shaming everyone who wants to be part of this culture, he says and continues:
– I definitely call for demonstrations. Check out all these people stopping traffic with banners. I would honestly have liked to see that kind of activism to put pressure on the government, to find a solution. It shouldn’t be okay to apply for gang crime.