Vikings Star Gustaf Skarsgård joins campaign calling to free Marwan Barghouti

Swedish actor Gustaf Skarsgård, widely recognized for his role as Floki in the hit series Vikings, has shared a new video calling for the release of prominent Palestinian detainee Marwan Bargouti.

In the video, Skarsgård displays a replica of the 2002 Palestinian national football team jersey.

He uses the post to express support for “Free Palestine” while criticizing what he calls the illegal Israeli occupation and illegal settlements.

He describes the Palestinian leader as someone often called “Palestine’s Mandela” and says Barghouti has been assaulted repeatedly while in custody, adding that his safety cannot be guaranteed in an ‘Israeli’ prison.

The jersey itself carries campaign-specific details. One sleeve features Barghouti’s iconic handcuffed peace-sign gesture, while a custom crest links the garment to the Free Marwan initiative.

“I wholeheartedly support the campaign, and I am embarrassed that that's what I do. People are risking their lives, they're going on boats to break the illegal blockade of Gaza,” Skarsgård says.

“And I'm wearing a jersey. And at the same time, I'm doing that to show my support for the Palestinian people,”

“Free Palestine and the illegal occupation and the illegal settlements. Free Palestine,” he added.

“No one is free until Palestine is free.”

Marwan Barghouti is a longtime Fatah politician and elected member of the Palestinian Legislative Council.

‘Israeli’ forces arrested him in Ramallah in April 2002 during the Second Intifada.

In 2004 an ‘Israeli’ court convicted him on five alleged counts of murder related to attacks that killed five people and sentenced him to five consecutive life terms plus 40 years.

He remains one of the most popular figures in Palestinian public opinion polls and is widely viewed by many Palestinians as a potential unifying leader.

Skarsgård’s video adds another high-profile voice to the growing list of cultural figures calling for Barghouti’s freedom.

Skarsgård rose to international fame through Vikings, which aired on the History Channel from 2013 to 2020. His portrayal of Floki—a brilliant yet unpredictable boat builder deeply devoted to the Norse gods—became one of the show’s most memorable characters.

Born in Stockholm in 1980, Skarsgård comes from one of Sweden’s most prominent acting families. He is the son of acclaimed actor Stellan Skarsgård and the brother of actors including Alexander and Bill Skarsgård.

Before and after Vikings, he built a varied career that includes roles in the HBO series Westworld, the Netflix fantasy drama Cursed (where he played Merlin), and numerous Swedish films and stage productions.

In recent years, Skarsgård has occasionally used his public platform to comment on the ‘Israeli’-Palestinian conflict.

The latest Instagram post continues that pattern of advocacy.

The 2002 Palestinian national team jersey holds value for many supporters of the free Marwan Barghouti campaign, as it was the year he was imprisoned.

It also represents a period when the team competed in World Cup qualifiers under challenging circumstances.