President Donald Trump is slamming Sweden after rapperA$AP Rocky was charged with assaultover a fightin Stockholm last month.
”Very disappointed in Prime Minister Stefan Löfven for being unable to act,”Trump tweetedThursday.”Sweden has let our African American Community down in the United States.”
TheGrammy-nominated artist– whose real name isRakim Mayers– has been detained in Sweden since July 3while authorities investigate his involvement in a street fight that took place before he was set to appear at a local music festival.He will remain in custody until trial.
”Treat Americans fairly!” Trump added.”I watched the tapes of A$AP Rocky, and he was being followed and harassed by troublemakers.”
Videos published on social mediashow a person being violently thrown onto the ground by the rapper.Rocky postedseveral videos leading up to the altercationon his own Instagram account, in which he pleads with the men to stop following his group.
“IM INNOCENT,” the rapper, 30,commented under one of the videosbefore his arrest.
But,Swedish prosecutorDaniel Suneson disagreed with Rocky’s self-defense claims after studying “a greater amount of material than that which has previously been available on the internet.”
In a statement Thursday,Suneson said that he filed charges against the artist and two others “suspected of assault causing actual bodily harm, having come to the conclusion that the events in question constitute a crime and despite claims of self-defense and provocation.”
In response, Trump urged for Sweden to “Give A$AP Rocky his FREEDOM.”
”We do so much for Sweden but it doesn’t seem to work the other way around. Sweden should focus on its real crime problem!” the presidenttweeted, adding the popular hashtag #FreeRocky.”
On Saturday,Trump said he spoke withLöfven about Rocky and “offered to personally vouch for his bail,” something that is not available under Swedish law. Urged on by the first lady and celebrities including Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West, the president had said in a Friday tweet that he would intervene to try to free the rapper.
Löfven’s press secretary, Toni Eriksson, later said that the two leaders had a “friendly and respectful” conversation in which Löfven “made certain to emphasize the complete independence of the Swedish judicial system, prosecutors and courts” and stressed that the government cannot and will not attempt to influence the legal proceedings.
The Stockholm District Court plans to announce next week when trial for Rocky and the two other suspects’will take place.
Many in theentertainment industry also called for Rocky’s release, includingJustin Bieber,Sean “Diddy” Combs,Jada Pinkett Smith,Kris Jenner,Shawn Mendes and G Eazy.
Contributing: The Associated Press. Read more at usatoday.com
