Gangs of youths torched more than 100 cars in the Swedish cities of Gothenburg, Stockholm and surrounding areas last Monday, sparking outrage and fueling fears that Swedes will vote for the populist Sweden Democrats in the upcoming general election.

The largest attacks occurred in parking lots outside several apartment complexes. Residents watched from above as youths dressed in black threw firebombs and pelted emergency services with rocks.

The attacks come at a sensitive time: Sweden’s general elections are scheduled for September 9, in less than three weeks. Analysts worry that Sweden’s soaring crime rate will push voters away from mainstream parties and toward the right-wing, anti-immigration Sweden Democrats.

Prime Minister Stefan Löfven compared the coordination between the gangs to a military operation and expressed his frustration, warning that he is “really getting mad” and that “society must react in a tough manner.”

Though this type of crime is not new to Sweden, arson and assault on such a large scale is. Sweden’s The Local published data showing that car arson attacks are increasing. Car arson has doubled every 10 years since 1998, with 1,457 incidents recorded in 2017. Yet with all the anger over these brazen attacks, few leaders will speak openly about who is behind them.

Deutsche Welle stated that the attacks may push voters toward the Sweden Democrats, acknowledging that many in Sweden think that a more hard-line approach would reduce such crime. The people of Sweden are reminded of this every time another attack happens. To understand why gang arson and violence are pushing Swedes to vote for law and order—and restricted immigration—you have to understand the who and the why of what took place.

Swedish police will not comment on the ethnicity of those behind these attacks. But the truth can be gleaned from media reports.

The suspects were residents of Gothenburg. At least two lived in the Frölunda district. According to The Local, “Gothenburg is one of Europe’s most segregated cities, and Frölunda a particularly deprived area.” Frölunda is full of immigrants. The district is also segregated, suggesting immigrants are not integrating into Swedish society.

One suspect fled to Turkey before police finally captured him. Why would an impoverished criminal, fleeing the law, travel all the way across the Continent south to Turkey? It indicates the suspect has previous connections in a foreign, heavily Muslim nation, perhaps the nation in which the suspect was born.

What about burning cars? It started in the 1990s, mostly in poor areas with a high percentage of their population being Muslim migrants: Strasbourg, France, is one example. It has become a popular New Year’s Eve tradition among Muslims.

Despite the silence from authorities and the media, the massive arson and assault in Gothenburg and Stockholm is undoubtedly the product of mass immigration. The political and media silence in the aftermath indicates to Swedish voters that the country’s mainstream, establishment leaders do not have the answers—so maybe the populists do.

Sweden refuses to acknowledge that failed integration is damaging the nation. No matter how the election turns out, rising violence and terrorism in Sweden and throughout the Continent will cause Europeans greater frustration and fear. Populist parties will keep gaining support. Soon, there will be a backlash.

For years, the Trumpet has watched the impact of Muslims in Europe. After the 2015 Paris attacks, perpetrated by Islamic men, editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote about where terrorism in Europe is leading:

The Bible actually prophesied what is happening right now in France and the rest of Europe. It forecasts how the Continent will react to this event and the long-term trends that are rising to a boil there: Europe will unite into a superpower consisting of “ten kings”—and it will go to real war with radical Islam.

Rising violence will compel Europe to unite and end the problem with military force. The resulting clash of civilizations will engulf the world in conflict. European leaders will not yet acknowledge the real cause of violence in Europe right now. They will learn the hard way. And people will suffer. But you don’t have to.

To understand how a coming European superpower will affect your life, and how you can be protected from it, order our free literature The Holy Roman Empire in Prophecy and The King of the South, by Gerald Flurry.