The Free Press Society was started in Denmark in 2004 by Lars Hedegaard, who is still chairman. Hedegaard is now 69 and last I saw him -= at a Christmas dinner in December 2011 -= he was as energetic, sharp and humorous as ever, a gun powder owl, as we say in Danish. On January 31, 2012, the Swedish branch was launched — read about it here: “Sweden: Launching the Swedish Free Press Society under police protection“.
On February 2, the Swedish newspaper The South Swedish printed an essay “In good company“, in which the writer states that the Swedish Free Press Society “with good conscience can dissolve itself at the next meeting” — since free speech is unchallenged.
On the same day, the famous Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten (the one with the Muhammad drawings) reported about the Swedish launch in the article “Free words in safe surroundings” (not online). The fact that the Swedish police knew about the venue even though it was not announced anywhere shows that the police are very aware of the problems:
In Malmö the Free Press Society’s newborn Swedish sister organization was launched — under massive police protection. The goal is to have a critical public debate on immigration, feminism and other controversial topics that are covered with politically correct consensus and pressure against freedom of expression.
How the Swedish police got to know about the evening’s event is not known. For it was not advertised anywhere. Not even on the Internet. So there are no obstructive troublemakers on this cold January evening. But about 120 interested men and women of all ages have found their way to the inaugural meeting of the Swedish Tryckfrihetssällskap in Malmo on Tuesday evening, and they seemed safe, considering the 10-15 policemen. …
At both ends of the foreseeable side street Skolgatan police cars patrol at night long. And on all floors in the municipal building where the venue takes place, several uniformed policemen are protecting the meeting and the participants.