Thousands of protesters demonstrated in Sweden's two biggest cities against the use of vaccine passes, in marches that unfolded calmly after police had warned of possible clashes, reports AFP.

Security police Sapo had expressed concern that neo-Nazi groups and opponents could face off at the demonstration in Stockholm.

Around 9,000 people marched through the streets of the capital Stockholm to the Sergels Torg square chanting “no to vaccine passes, yes to freedom”, in a protest organised by a group calling itself the Freedom Movement.

One of the marchers, 30-year-old Julia Johansson, said vaccine passes “discriminate against a lot of people”.

“We have to be able to decide ourselves what we want to do with our own bodies,” she told AFP.