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Drunken chaos mars Walpurgis celebrations

Published: 1 May 11 09:51 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/33508/20110501/

Police in Uppsala responded to reports of rape, assault and drunken behaviour as they struggled to contain revellers during chaotic Walpurgis Night celebrations in the city on Saturday.

Some 90 people were detained for public intoxication, while a further five or six people were arrested for assault in the university city located 70 kilometres north of Stockholm.

"We're used to it, but there has been more than usual this year," said police officer Mats Öjedahl.

"It's chaos here. Aside from drunkenness, fighting and assault, we have had an attempted rape on Bellmansgatan where a woman was pulled into the bushes but managed to tear herself free."

Police in Stockholm also reported a busy shift on a night renowned for its annual excesses.

"There's an awful lot of drunkenness," said police officer Maria Hugols. "We've been picking up drunken youngsters all over the place."

However, police in many other parts of the country said the Walpurgis Night celebrations had not led to an upsurge in unruly behaviour.

"We thought it would be a lot worse," said police officer Ingemar Johansson in Gothenburg. "It has been fairly reasonable. There's been some drunkenness and fighting, but tell me a Walpurgis Night when there hasn't been fighting."

Police in Gotland were pleased that the situation on the Baltic Sea island appeared calmer than usual.

"It has absolutely been quieter than it usually is. A very good Walpurgis Night," said a spokesperson.

TT/The Local (news@thelocal.se/08 656 6518)

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12:20 May 1, 2011 by star10
Swedes can't party if they don't get drunk till they become unconscious. A typical Swede is either quite or drunk. I mean if a typical Swede speaks/sings laud, then he/she is drunk.
13:16 May 1, 2011 by jamesblish
Quite what?
13:30 May 1, 2011 by 15U
And they say that Russians are animals. I saw Valborg yesterday in Lund and concluded that Russian students and very intelligent and polite.
13:47 May 1, 2011 by Eagle63
Believe me, its much worse in the Netherlands; we just had our queens-day celebrations this weekend. I had a late shift driving a bus here, then you see how extremely bad-behaved the Dutch really are...

Can't wait to emigrate to Canada.....
14:10 May 1, 2011 by keepvogel
@Eagle63: As a dutchman living in Sweden I was happy to see that last night wasn't as bad as I was used to in the Netherlands.
14:16 May 1, 2011 by johnny1939
The idiots that get drunk publicly belong to an international order the same order that like to break bottles all over the place. Pox on them!!
14:48 May 1, 2011 by muscle
Oh come on they are not drunk... they are still dancing properly. :) They call themselves as drunk when they are unable to get up after drinking!!!!
15:00 May 1, 2011 by planet.sweden
"while a further five or sex people were arrested.."

I think the author needs to decide if they're writing in Swedish or English, or maybe they too had a rather wild Walpurgis Night celebration.
16:00 May 1, 2011 by Dazzler
I think they recycle this article every year.....
18:04 May 1, 2011 by Ribersborg1
"Police in Uppsala responded to reports of rape" ??? You're joking. After the treatment of Julian Assange I am to take in any way seriously the behavior of the Swedish state toward rape? I do not.

Sweden has no rape credibility remaining. The claims of Swedish women are shown to be mere political instruments. I cannot take them seriously.
19:07 May 1, 2011 by dammen
Just another usual Saturday night in Uppsala!
20:12 May 1, 2011 by Scorch
Aaah good old Walpurgis. Also called "the amateurs evening"
20:39 May 1, 2011 by zooeden
@star 10, that´s not true however...

I love the "reports of rape, assault and drunken behaviour " and police kinda knows about it... Of course there is nothing to do the rest of the year until valborg!!! So they go woohoo!!! Dont be alarm everybody!!!!
21:29 May 1, 2011 by SaraMx
@planet.sweden

Don't be too hard on the writers... It must be a huge responsability to report all of these relevant issues.
22:16 May 1, 2011 by krattan
In some strangely reccuring pattern every Swedish town turns into a viking village. About every weekend actually. A bit tiring with left behinds like throw-ups and pee in the escalator though.
22:49 May 1, 2011 by Ivan Juric
sounds like a normal Saturday night here in Melbourne
23:49 May 1, 2011 by Njal
H.P. Lovecraft always thought Walpurgis night was very significant, in his writings at least.
00:13 May 2, 2011 by jack sprat
Typical Swedish hooligans can't hold their liquor.

Glass and a half of shandy and they're legless.
00:49 May 2, 2011 by Smokebox
The same goes on every weekend up in Norland.
01:55 May 2, 2011 by lina2010
It was really a very nice and lovely celebration except the use of excess alcoholic drinks. I think such kind of drunkness is bad. We need to change it soon. It will paint a darker picture for the lively and lovely celebration.
07:19 May 2, 2011 by wabasha
you people sound so boring. let the young people have their fun. don't worry, they will be working, paying taxes and die just like the rest of us soon
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