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After being detained for three weeks, A$AP Rocky has officially been charged with assault in Sweden after an altercation that occurred in Stockholm in June, the AP reports. Rocky, along with two other individuals, is “suspected of assault causing actual bodily harm, having come to the conclusion that the events in question constitute a crime and despite claims of self-defense and provocation,” as revealed by Swedish prosecutor Daniel Suneson in a statement. Rocky will remain in custody until the trial, which the Stockholm District Court plans to announce sometime next week.
Rocky was detained on July 2 while authorities investigated an altercation involving Rocky, two of his associates, and two men that, according to Rocky, had been harassing them. Rocky posted footage of confrontations on social media and later, video of an incident surfaced.
In the videos, two men appear to be upset at Rocky and his crew over a pair of headphones. They then follow the rapper around while repeatedly being asked to go away. Prosecutor Suneson also acknowledged the videos in his statement: “It is worth noting that I have had access to a greater amount of material than that which has previously been available on the internet. In addition to video material, the injured party’s statements have been supported by witness statements.”
Rocky’s arrest and subsequent hold — a Swedish judge deemed the rapper a flight risk – has brought about a large amount of public attention, with President Trump even tweeting that he’d do what he can to get Rocky home (at the request of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West). Artists like Tyler, the Creator, Schoolboy Q, and Lil Yachty have claimed that they will never go back to Sweden. G-Eazy, who was arrested in Sweden last May on assault and drug charges, spoke out in support of Rocky. “This is the sad truth … The difference between me and Rocky’s treatment in Sweden brings to mind two concepts that disgustingly go hand in hand: white privilege and systemic racism,” he tweeted.
If convicted, TMZ reports that Rocky could face a maximum of two years in prison. His defense attorney, Slobodan Jovicic, said that Rocky “feels that he acted in self-defense, he is claiming that he is innocent, and in that perspective, he, of course, is very sad.”
