President Donald Trump on Thursday called on Sweden to released hip-hop star A$AP Rocky after the Scandavanian country charged the rapper with assault in connection to an alleged scuffle earlier last month.
“Very disappointed in Prime Minister Stefan Löfven for being unable to act. Sweden has let our African American Community down in the United States,” President Trump said. “I watched the tapes of A$AP Rocky, and he was being followed and harassed by troublemakers. Treat Americans fairly!”
Very disappointed in Prime Minister Stefan Löfven for being unable to act. Sweden has let our African American Community down in the United States. I watched the tapes of A$AP Rocky, and he was being followed and harassed by troublemakers. Treat Americans fairly! #FreeRocky
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 25, 2019
In a subsequent tweet, the president urged Sweden to “Give A$AP Rocky his FREEDOM,” arguing that the U.S. does a great deal for the country that does not appear willing to return the favor.
Give A$AP Rocky his FREEDOM. We do so much for Sweden but it doesn’t seem to work the other way around. Sweden should focus on its real crime problem! #FreeRocky
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 25, 2019
“Sweden should focus on its real crime problem!” Trump said.
Rocky, 30, has been in jail since he was arrested July 3 in connection to an alleged assault that occurred June 30 in central Stockholm. He will remain in Swedish custody until the trial, authorities said Thursday.
Two other men have also been charged for their roles in the alleged fight. Rocky and the two individuals were initially held on suspicion of aggravated assault and the Stockholm District Court decided to keep them in custody July 5 on suspicion of assault causing actual bodily harm.
Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, was arrested after video footage surfaced of him allegedly participating in a fight. On July 3, Rocky posted to Instagram two videos of the purported incident, showing him and his entourage attempting to deal with two individuals who appear to be following them.
In the videos, the rapper repeatedly tells the young men to leave him alone. At one point, one of the men then hits a member of Rocky’s entourage with a pair of headphones.
The charges come after President Trump said he spoke with the Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven about Rocky. “I assured him that A$AP was not a flight risk and offered to personally vouch for his bail,” the president said in a tweet on Saturday.
The world leaders spoke after the urging of megastar entertainer Kanye West and wife Kim Kardashian.
Renee Black, the rapper’s mother, has expressed gratitude for the president’s efforts to have her son freed.
“I’m grateful, very grateful, that the president even considered approaching it in the manner that he did,” Black said Monday in an interview with Expressen TV. “It was an unnecessary case to begin with,” the rapper’s mother added. “Everything is on video. They tried to avoid it, but they kept being followed as well as harassed.”
The UPI contributed to this report.
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