01:00Sweden: Stockholm riots burn on for third night
Sweden: Stockholm riots burn on for third night
Riots in Stockholm's suburbs continued for the third night after the fatal shooting of a 69-year old man by Swedish police triggered street violence. The shooting took place on 13 May with riots ongoing since Sunday 19 May. Hundreds of rioters, mainly young people, say they are protesting against police brutality and inequality in Sweden. Rocks were hurled at police, numerous cars, have been set alight and local residence vandalized.
The man killed by the police was reported to have been wielding a knife after locking himself in an apartment building in the Husby suburb of Stockholm. It remains unclear why lethal force was used. Police have refused to give the nationality of the victim. The Husby suburb of 11,000 people has been the centre of the riots. Of that number an estimated 80% are first- and second-generation immigrants. The Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt disapproves the violence and asks the inhabitants of the area to remain calm.
Other suburbs of Stockholm were also affected by the riots, including the suburb of Jakobsberg. According to the police officer, Charlotte Bengtsson "A few minutes before midnight, people were calling us telling us that there were smashed windows in the centre if Jakobsberg and that several shops had their windows broken. We then received information that there were people moving towards the police station in Jakobsberg. When our personnel arrived we met around 30 individuals who were throwing rocks at us and blocking the way to the police station."
01:00Sweden: Stockholm riots burn on for third night
Riots in Stockholm's suburbs continued for the third night after the fatal shooting of a 69-year old man by Swedish police triggered street violence. The shooting took place on 13 May with riots ongoing since Sunday 19 May. Hundreds of rioters, mainly young people, say they are protesting against police brutality and inequality in Sweden. Rocks were hurled at police, numerous cars, have been set alight and local residence vandalized.
The man killed by the police was reported to have been wielding a knife after locking himself in an apartment building in the Husby suburb of Stockholm. It remains unclear why lethal force was used. Police have refused to give the nationality of the victim. The Husby suburb of 11,000 people has been the centre of the riots. Of that number an estimated 80% are first- and second-generation immigrants. The Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt disapproves the violence and asks the inhabitants of the area to remain calm.
Other suburbs of Stockholm were also affected by the riots, including the suburb of Jakobsberg. According to the police officer, Charlotte Bengtsson "A few minutes before midnight, people were calling us telling us that there were smashed windows in the centre if Jakobsberg and that several shops had their windows broken. We then received information that there were people moving towards the police station in Jakobsberg. When our personnel arrived we met around 30 individuals who were throwing rocks at us and blocking the way to the police station."