Lars Vilks
Lars Vilks is a controversial Swedish artist who has been the target of several assassination attempts.
Contents
Activities
Controversial artwork
Vilks caused outcry among many Muslims in 2007 when he draw a cartoon of the prophet Muhammad as a dog.[1]. An an al-Qaida faction in Iraq placed a $100,000 bounty on his head.[2].
According to an article on Dispatch International, Vilks' work has been displayed by Swedish gallery owner Henrik Rönnquist.[3]
Assassination attempts and death threats
There have been several plots to kill Vilks and attempts on his life. In 2010 two men were arrested in Ireland and subsequently charged with an alleged plot to murder Vilks.[2] He was assaulted in May 2010 while he was giving a lecture in Uppsala, Sweden. A few days later his house was attacked and attacked by arsonists.[1] An American woman was sentenced to 10 years in prison for plotting to kill him. Vilks has also received numerous death threats and has been forced to live under constant police protection.[2]
On 14 February 2015 Vilks was participating in an event about art, blasphemy and freedom of expression at the Krudttønden cafe in Copenhagen, Denmark, when an estimated 200 shots were fired at the building from outside, killing one man attending the event and injuring at least three others. The deadly attack was widely perceived to be an attempt to kill Vilks.[2]
Affiliations
- Swedish Free Press Society - attended launch[1]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Hope Note Hate, Swedish Free Press Society, Counterjihad report: Sweden, accessed 16 February 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Chris Johnston, One dead and three injured in Copenhagen 'terrorist attack', The Guardian, 14 February 2015
- ↑ Ingrid Carlqvist, Gallery owner in shock – wants to leave Sweden, Dispatch International, 5 July 2014, accessed 13 February 2015
