Operation Swedistan

[[File:Sweden new flag fake.jpg|thumb|right|165px|The original proposed flag for Swedistan<ref name=OS1>{{a|1=https://archive.4plebs.org/pol/thread/149245561/|2=Operation Swedistan}}, ''4chan''</ref>]][[File:Flag of Sweden.svg|thumb|right|165px|The future former flag of Sweden]]
{{alt-right}}
{{cquote|Operation Swedistan:<br>1.Create significant traction in a movement to replace Sweden's Christian flag with an Islamic crescent.<br>2. Even those on the left will come to realise how [[Cuck]]ed their nation is if something like this even comes close to being considered by the Government.|||a very realistic 4chan user<ref name=OS1 />}}
'''Operation Swedistan''' or '''#ForBetterSweden''' was an attempted [[:Category:Right-wing troll campaigns|right-wing troll campaign]] spawned in November 2017 by [[4chan]]'s [[/pol/]] board. The campaign allegedly wanted to replace the current {{wpl|flag of Sweden}} (a yellow {{wpl|Nordic cross}} on blue background) with a new, migrant-friendly flag (yellow {{wpl|star and crescent}} on blue background). The campaign produced a fake Avaaz.org petition (3.4k signatures),<ref>{{a|1=https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Prime_Minister_of_Sweden_Stefan_Lofven_To_the_Swedish_government_Please_consider_changing_offensive_national_flag/?coKfBhb|2=Prime Minister of Sweden, Stefan Löfven: Please consider changing offensive national flag}}, ''Avaaz''</ref> fake Change.org petition (15 signatures),<ref>{{a|https://www.change.org/p/sweden-change-the-swedish-flag-to-accommodate-the-needs-of-incoming-refugees|"Change the Swedish flag to accommodate the needs of incoming refugees"}}, ''Change.org''</ref> fake newspaper articles, and a ''lot'' of fake adverts (see {{sl|Image gallery|below}}).

It didn't work.

==Failure==
The campaign was favorably reported on by [[conspiracy]]-riddled ''[[InfoWars]]'',<ref>{{a|https://www.infowars.com/sweden-under-pressure-to-adopt-islamic-national-flag/|"SWEDEN UNDER PRESSURE TO ADOPT ISLAMIC NATIONAL FLAG"}}, ''Infowars''</ref> [[creationist]]-supporting ''[[WND]]'',<ref>{{a|1=https://www.wnd.com/2017/11/operation-swedistan-launched-in-last-ditch-attempt-to-save-sweden/|2="'OPERATION SWEDISTAN' LAUNCHED IN LAST-DITCH ATTEMPT TO SAVE SWEDEN"}}, ''WND''</ref> and a few right-wing [[YouTube|YouTubers]].<ref>{{a|1=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=951gMJjHloI|2="The Art of Trolling"}}, The Angry Foreigner on YouTube</ref><ref>{{a|1=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i84MHvjoDmc|2="Operation Swedistan - Plan to Change the Swedish Flag to Be More Inclusive"}}, Wild Smile on YouTube</ref><ref>{{a|1=https://twitter.com/someblackg/status/931069645062148096|2="Fucking hell..... my roommate got me all worked up about my latest post. I just found some shit on /pol/ I didn’t wanna believe it but the #ForBetterSweden was full of people supporting it lol. Sorry about that guys!"}}, SomeBlackGuy on Twitter</ref><ref>{{a|1=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-JaLEgF-NA|2="Muslims Want New Swedish Flag {{!}} White Resistance News"}}, Alt-Right TV on YouTube</ref> However, 4chan's 100+ threads on the subject<ref>[https://www.google.com/search?q='operation+swedistan'+OR+'forbettersweden'+site%3A4plebs.org "("operation swedistan" OR "forbettersweden") site:4plebs.org"], ''Google Search''</ref> were unable to make the campaign catch on. Searches for "Operation Swedistan" and "ForBetterSweden" were insignificant for all months but December 2017,<ref>[https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=today%205-y&geo=US&q=Operation%20Swedistan "Operation Swedistan"], ''Google Trends''</ref><ref>[https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=today%205-y&geo=US&q=ForBetterSweden "ForBetterSweden"], ''Google Trends''</ref> and searches for "[[Sweden]] new flag" have actually decreased over the last five years.<ref>[https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=today%205-y&geo=US&q=sweden%20new%20flag "Sweden new flag"], ''Google Trends''</ref> Mainstream outlets all noted that the campaign was a hoax, including the ''[[BBC]]'',<ref name=BBC>{{a|https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-42003496|A failed 'Swedish flag' hoax shows the decline of the extremist 4chan message board}}, ''BBC''</ref> {{wpl|Metro International|''Metro''|,}}<ref>{{a|1=https://www.metro.se/artikel/4chan-anv%C3%A4ndare-bakom-falsk-namninsamling-f%C3%B6r-att-%C3%A4ndra-sveriges-flagga|2="4chan-användare bakom falsk namninsamling för att ändra Sveriges flagga"}}, ''Metro''</ref> and even [[Turkish]] state media ''{{wpl|Turkish Radio and Television Corporation|TRT}}''.<ref>{{a|1=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akFKRznuGgg|2=Campaign to change the Swedish flag turns out to be a hoax}}, ''TRT''</ref> Avaaz polled its members and took down the petition.<ref name=BBC />

==Image gallery==
<gallery perrow=3>
File:Sweden replacing its islamophobic flag.png|Fake ''[[Huffington Post]]'' article: "Sweden Replacing Its Islamophobic Flag"<ref name=OS3 />
File:Swedish progressives push for flag to represent diversity.png|Fake ''[[Slate]]'' article: "Swedish Progressives Push for Flag to Represent Diversity"<ref name=OS3 />
File:Sweden has improved.jpg|Fake advert: "Sweden has improved. Time to improve our flag. #ForBetterSweden"<ref name=OS2>{{a|1=https://archive.4plebs.org/pol/thread/149700329/|2="/OS/ - Operation Swedistan"}}, ''4chan''</ref>
File:New culture new flag.jpg|Fake advert: "White Christian Men are the biggest obstacle against a progressive global march for peace and acceptance."<ref name=OS2 />
File:My family is here.png|Fake advert: "My family is here. My future is here. So why don't I feel at home? A flag for a multicultural Sweden. {{wpl|1=The New Country|2=#DetNyaLandet}}"<ref name=OS3>{{a|1=https://archive.4plebs.org/pol/thread/149394498/|2=/OS/ Operation Swedistan #7 - Social Jihad}}, ''4chan''</ref>
File:End the hate change the state.png|Fake advert: "End the hate. Change the state. [....] Let us make a stand. Change the flag. Change our hearts."<ref name=OS3 />
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Alt-right glossary]]
*[[DropTheB]]
*[[Islam]]
*[[LGBTP]]
*[[No White Democrats]]

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}
[[Category:4chan]]
[[Category:Alt-right]]
[[Category:Islamophobia]]
[[Category:Racism]]
[[Category:Right-wing troll campaigns]]

Categories: 4chan, Alt-right, Islamophobia, Racism, Right-wing troll campaigns