Date: Tuesday, 23 July 2024
Last summer, the Eritrean cultural festival ended in riots.
To prevent the same chaos from occurring this year, the police have, among other things, set up wire cages at the police station in Järva.
- We have arranged a temporary arrest for 50 people, says Ola Österling at the police.
The Eritrea Scandinavia festival at Järvafältet in northern Stockholm ended last year when counter-protesters jumped over the barricades and clashed with visitors.
Over 50 were injured, three of whom were police officers, and up to 140 people were arrested.
The background is a far-reaching conflict between regime-loyal Eritreans and regime critics. According to experts, the organizer of the festival must be close to the dictatorship regime in Eritrea.
Now the police have secured it so that the same chaos does not occur when this year's festival begins on Thursday.
- We have arranged a temporary arrest for 50 people inside the police station in Järva if necessary. These are wire cages that have been approved to hold suspects pending transfer to another prison, says police spokesperson Ola Österling.
Cars were set on fire at the festival.The grid cages have been set up precisely for this purpose, but a thorough analysis of last year's work has also been carried out.
- After our failure to keep the two groups apart last year, we have done a serious evaluation and come to a series of conclusions that we take with us, says Ola Österling and continues:
- Last winter we started a threat and risk assessment. We have now made an analysis of how many police officers are needed and some started working already on Monday.
The police cannot comment on how they will work during this year's festival as it could reveal their tactics.
- I also cannot say how many police officers are working on this. But there are significantly more than last year, says Ola Österling.
The police communicate continuously with the organizer and the demonstrators. Also this year, they have applied to be allowed to protest against the cultural festival, which the police are handling.
- We have rejected two places where they applied to stand, but we have proposed a third place, says Österling.
The police move a planned demonstration. Archive image.A demonstration against the Eritrean cultural festival in Stockholm is moved by the police, reports P4 Stockholm.
The cultural festival begins on Thursday. Last year, the festival was attacked by counter-protesters, and in their refusal the police refer to the unrest at the time.
Instead, the counter-demonstrators get permission on the other side of the E18 in relation to the festival, writes the radio.
