According to Mattias Löw, Paul Belosic received the scarf from a woman with whom he had a relationship.
Norran has previously revealed that The Hollywood Reporter revealed the identity of the "Skelleftemann".
The man who wore the Skellefteå scarf during the storming of Congress on January 6, 2021 was named as Paul Belosic, who is a failed actor from Los Angeles who has become radicalized. But why did he have a Skellefteå scarf?
Over a solid two and a half years, filmmaker Mattias Löw meticulously pieced together a documentary, "The Swedish Scarf", centered on Paul Belosic and the famed scarf. This cinematic dive goes deep into the story behind how Paul Belosic ended up with this emblematic item.
Löw lays it out:
– He got the scarf from a woman he was involved with. The woman, who is originally from Skellefteå but now lives elsewhere, received the scarf as a Christmas present from the municipality of Skellefteå.
After sitting down with Belosic himself and some of his closest friends, Löw found out that Belosic had made a fair number of trips to Skellefteå.
– Paul's really taken with both Sweden and Skellefteå, Löw said.
– He digs the people and their vibe. And he admired how Sweden tackled the coronavirus – no strict lockdowns dictating people's lives.
As for Belosic's political leanings, Löw throws a curveball.
– He's not a typical right-winger. I'd call him more of a libertarian.
So what is Belosic's sweet spot for Skellefteå? Löw doesn't think it's politically charged. Indeed, he suggests that Belosic thought Skellefteå was some form of libertarian paradise.
– I don't think anyone has told him that the municipality owns almost everything in Skellefteå.
The Skellefteå scarf means the world to Belosic, thinks Löw.
– He wore it for many of his public appearances, holding it through a bunch of demonstrations, from the height of the Covid chaos to the 2020 presidential election.
Löw's theory? That scarf was a conscious choice during the Capitol storming. Belosic probably wishes he hadn't left it behind in the heat of it all.
– I'm convinced that scarf's got a special place in his heart. He's likely missing it.
According to Löw, Belosic is the last of the Capitol rioters still out there, evading authorities. Law enforcement is dead set on finding him.
– He was the first to break through police lines and get into Congress. That's put him on the top of their 'most wanted' list.