In December 2021, Rasmus Giertz, a member of the Sweden Democrats, was reportedly struck in the face by a man in central Falun. The charge stated that the man delivered a punch; however, he defended himself by claiming he merely used the back of his open hand in self-defense. The court assessed the evidence and determined that it could not conclusively establish that the action was anything but a slap with an open hand, leading to the classification of the incident as a minor crime under Swedish law.

According to Swedish law, the statute of limitations for minor assault is two years. Since the alleged incident occurred over five years ago, it fell outside this legal timeframe, which ultimately led to the man's acquittal. This emphasizes the legal implications surrounding the time limits set for prosecuting offenses, particularly minor ones, which are designed to encourage timely reporting of crimes and to allow legal proceedings to occur while evidence is still relatively fresh.

This case also highlights the challenges in distinguishing between levels of physical altercations and the legal ramifications of such distinctions. While Giertz is a public figure in politics, the acquittal raises questions about public safety and accountability regarding physical confrontations involving political figures, particularly in a charged political environment. Overall, this incident reflects broader societal issues related to violence against politicians and the legal system's handling of such cases.