Bearded men's club mistaken for Islamic State militants
Anti-terror police investigate holidaying beard club after locals mistake them for IS
Swedish terror police swooped on an international gathering of beard aficionados after hearing reports they were Islamic State terrorists.
Anti-terrorism officers received unnerving reports of a group of bearded men in dark clothes raising a black flag above a remote castle.
But on further inspection police found they were dealing not with IS militants but around 30 members of the Swedish group of the "Bearded Villains".
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The organisation, which was founded in the US last year, brings bearded men all over the word together to fight all forms of prejudice and perform charity work.
One of the club's customs is to pass their flag from group to group, and the Swedish branch were celebrating their turn with a photo shoot at the ruined castle of Brahehus in the south of the country when the police arrived.
Andreas Fransson, a founder of Ratemybeard.se, admitted that the flag – crossed sabres on a black background – could be mistaken for that of Islamic State, but said the group was still shocked when anti-terror police turned up. "They told us they got a call from someone driving past on the highway, saying that there were Isis terrorists at the ruins," Fransson told The Independent.
It didn't take long for the officers to establish that the remote ruins were not the site of a terrorist training camp. "We had a laugh with the police and they left," Fransson said.
John Ekeblad, co-leader of the group, which claims to have groups in 80 countries, told Sweden's Metro newspaper that while they laughed about the "surreal" incident at the time, it highlighted the prejudices bearded men face.
"It's one of the foundations of our brotherhood, that you should not judge others before you know the facts. It's the same with beards – each and every day you hear someone say you are a terrorist."[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"content_original","fid":"85391","attributes":{"class":"media-image"}}]]
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Turkey halts trade with Israel in latest Gaza rift
Speed Read The country plans to join South Africa's genocide case against Israel
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - May 3, 2024
Cartoons Friday's cartoons - tea or coffee, a bitter brew, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Biden tackles campus protests, deplores 'chaos'
Speed Read Students have a "right to protest but not a right to cause chaos," the president said
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Gaza hospital blast: What the video evidence shows about who's to blame
Speed Read Nobody wants to take responsibility for the deadly explosion in the courtyard of Gaza's al-Ahli Hospital. Roll the tape.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Giraffe poo seized after woman wanted to use it to make a necklace
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Helicopter sound arouses crocodiles
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Woman sues Disney over 'injurious wedgie'
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Emotional support alligator turned away from baseball stadium
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Europe's oldest shoes found in Spanish caves
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Artworks stolen by Nazis returned to heirs of cabaret performer
It wasn't all bad Good news stories from the past seven days
By The Week Staff Published