The Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights (RFSL) has cancelled its attendance at this year’s Almedalen political festival in protest over the hatred and threats that it says have from the neo-Nazi group Nordic Resistance Movement (NMR).

RFSL spokesperson Sandra Ehne said that opting to stay away from Sweden’s premiere political event was “a difficult decision” but that the group felt the need to distance itself from NRM.

“This isn’t about throwing in the towel or capitulating to the Nazis. On the contrary, it’s about trying to reclaim our position and stand firmly in our political mission rather than just worrying about what the Nazis are going to do this year,” Ehne told TT.

NRM first attended the Almedalen political festival in 2017 and then doubled its numbers at last year’s gathering, where the group heckled a speech by Centre Party leader Annie Lööf and allegedly assaulted a woman in what experts said was an intentional effort to create visibility in an election year.