Artist Lars Vilks, 75, dies in an accident – VG

to me today’s news Lars Vilks’ cohabitant confirms that the well-known artist died when a civilian police car and truck collided on the E4 in Markard, Sweden, on Sunday afternoon.

Police said it was still not clear how the accident occurred. Expressen reported Sunday evening that the car Felix was sitting in came in the opposite lane and collided with the truck. The information has not been officially confirmed, but the police announced a press conference on Monday morning.

The information I have now indicates that it was an accident. But we are at a very early stage, says Anders Jacobson at the Swedish Prosecution Service express.

Police confirm in the current situation Two policemen and a person under police protection were killed in the accident.

National Police Chief Anders Thornberg said the police had received a report of the incident with great sadness.

“I think of relatives, family, friends and colleagues,” Thornberg says in the statement.

It is incomprehensible and indescribably sad that the person we are protecting and the lives of our colleagues ending in this tragedy are incomprehensible and indescribably sad, says Karina Pearson, regional police chief for the Southern District.

The police were notified of the incident at 15:30. Pictures from the scene show that he was badly burned after the impact.

Police wrote on their website that the truck driver, a 45-year-old man, was taken to hospital after the accident for treatment.

Born in Helsingborg in 1946, Lars Vilks has a Swedish and Latvian background. He was a self-taught artist and in 1987 he received a Ph.D. in Art History from Lund University.

From 1988 to 1997 he worked at the Academy of Arts in Oslo.

Felix is ​​best known for drawing two portraits of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad in 2007. The cartoons sparked great controversy, and led, among other things, to Felix being attempted murder by Islamic extremists on two occasions.

The cartoons were met with a strong reaction, leading to demonstrations in Pakistan.

Al-Qaeda terrorist also put him on a list of people who wanted to kill him, and promised a reward of $100,000 for whoever killed him.

In 2010, seven people were arrested in Ireland on suspicion of plotting to kill the artist. In 2015, Vilks was exposed to attempted murder When he participated in a debate on freedom of expression in Copenhagen.

The artwork “Nimus” also sparked controversy. Felix began construction on the statue, which looks like a tower, in 1980. The statue is in the Colaberg Nature Reserve, which is a conservation area. This has led to several legal disputes between Felix and the authorities.