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Firebombing teens target Gothenburg cops

Published: 17 Aug 11 13:17 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/35598/20110817/

Several police came under attack in the Gothenburg district of Angered overnight as teenagers hurled Molotov cocktails at police vehicles.

“To throw incendiary bombs at the police takes this problem to a level where we definitely don’t want to be. I have never in my whole career seen or heard of anything like it,” detective Bertil Claesson, head of the police unit in Angered, told news agency TT.

In the Angered area, police officers also had green laser pointers aimed at their eyes.

A petrol bomb hit a car belonging to a private security company, and two police cars parked outside the police station were damaged by youths.

In a separate incident in the district of Backa, stones were thrown at patrolling officers.

“I would like the general public to lend a hand and send a message to these teens that this is enough,” Claesson told TT.

In the last year, Gothenburg police have made an extra effort to come to terms with the problem of teenagers burning cars and attacking emergency services in several areas of the city.

On Wednesday, an crisis meeting was scheduled between local police and the district council in Angered to discuss what else can be done in the area.

Both social services and police in the stricken districts have worked to prevent the violence that often coincides with the beginning of the school year.

Police have patrolled the area more frequently and the district councils have tried to work proactively by keeping youth recreation centres open and organising more activities.

Prior to Tuesday night's attack, 15 cars were recently torched in a parking lot in Angered.

“And I still say that our measures so far have worked quite well. Despite what occurred last night and the recent car burning it has been a lot calmer than earlier this year,” said Claesson.

Claesson can’t say whether recent events have been sparked by the London riots earlier this month.

“But my experience is that everyone has their own motives when taking part in these kinds of activities,” he told TT.

So far no one has been injured in the attacks but the officers who the had green laser pointed at them suffered discomfort and had their eye-sight temporarily impaired.

“We still don’t know if that will lead to any long-term damage,” said Claesson.

TT/The Local/rm (news@thelocal.se)

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14:36 August 17, 2011 by jacquelinee
Car burning, fire bomb throwing, arson, looting, fighting. All acts of those cowards who only are able to win a problem with violence because they, quite frankly, are too stupid to win an argument with intelligence.

But....A District called "Angered"???? By definition it is "To make angry; enrage or provoke." I guess if the name fits.................
15:02 August 17, 2011 by Svensksmith
I would like to see this headline flipped...Police target firebombing teens.
15:05 August 17, 2011 by Migga
The ones who should be held accountable are the youth themselves and their parents. Their parents who sit at home without a job, living of the state, and don`t bother to learn the language. They don`t integrate and alienate themselves from society. And then their kids grow up in that enviroment. They grow up outside of society.

But this is nothing new and alot of swedish families are in the same situation. But why don`t you see swedish youths roaming the streets and firebombing the police, ambulance personal, firefighters and busdrivers? Well the answare lies in these youths ethnocultural identities. Their identity differs from the one dominant in the Swedish soceity.They don`t identify themselves with the people of the swedish population. Because they can`t identify themselves with the majority, they don`t empathises with them and therefore have no issues turning to violance.

This youth aren`t victims of some racist swedish society. They are criminals. And if they are victims of some sort they are the ones responsible. The true victims in this society are the single moms, the sick and the elderly. These youths aren`t victims, they are criminals.
15:14 August 17, 2011 by vb74
Isn't this multiculturalism great?
15:34 August 17, 2011 by krow
What do you expect from Idle youths. No sports activities, no programs for the summer encouraged or organised by the kommun. The sports activities are very expensive for the ones with cash to pay in a bad economy. So youths are left to wonder about. As they say, an idle mind is the devils workshop. Offcourse it is also a borrowed act from the UK riots.
15:57 August 17, 2011 by StockholmSam
"I would like the general public to lend a hand and send a message to these teens that this is enough," Claesson (head of the police unit in Angered) told TT.

Go get 'em, Tiger!! Raaawwrr!

(Now I understand why violent crime is on the rise in this country)
16:03 August 17, 2011 by Migga
@ krow

So it`s boredom is it? They are bored so they make molotove cocktails and throw them on the police and buses? And of course it`s the kommuns fault for not engaging the youths in activities.

Have you been to these "troubled areas"? They have numerous youthscenters to spend the days at. They have great sportcenters, footballfields, training areas and indoor bathhouses. They can go buy a ball and kick it around somewhere. The kommun put these troubled youths ahead of the line to get summerjobs, but they don`t show up.

In my mind it`s not about that. Did you go make molotov cocktails and threw them at the police when you were young, bored and without any money? These youths are just looking to destroy and make a mess. They are criminals. But you are right about one thing, they are probably inspired by the England riots.
17:21 August 17, 2011 by dolphin, the
I don't buy any of the excuses made in favour of these criminals. If they can't understand how a civilised society operates, it is up to the law enforcement to bring them to justice. They should be held accountable for their deeds and the police should be able to have access to all the necessary resources. The tax payers deserve to be protected by any means. The punishment have to be severe enough to give these thugs a very good lesson.
18:37 August 17, 2011 by zeero
London is here! and I can bet that the youngsters will win over the SE police. :-)
19:00 August 17, 2011 by gh2008
this is worrying and more serious than how the police are reacting to this phenomena.

same actions are taking place in Germany, Berlin:

http://www.thelocal.de/national/20110817-37005.html

could they be linked?

these teens have to be stopped immediately, then we can discuss the problems behind them.
21:20 August 17, 2011 by Grokh
wth, what do swede teenagers have to complain about police? police here does nothing.... bunch of spoiled brats, that never had to run home because of machine gun shots. if they are gona throw stuff at the swedish police then do so because the swedish police is too soft on everything.
21:38 August 17, 2011 by cutthecrap
Copying the race riots of London. Multiculture the destroyer.
21:59 August 17, 2011 by swedejane
""I would like the general public to lend a hand and send a message to these teens that this is enough," Claesson told TT.

You have got to be kidding. The police are worthless...they really are. I live in Backa, right where cars routinely get set on fire and I have to walk 3km out of my way because the buses can't drive to my bus stop when these d-bags are throwing rocks at cars. What am I going to do? Walk up to a group of 20 black hooded thugs and ask them politely to behave? Repeat: I live here. If the police can't even handle these gangs what am I supposed to do? Unarmed, alone, and untrained.

The above poster is correct as well. In my neighborhood there is a fantastic soccer field with lights, tennis courts, basketball courts, playgrounds, hiking trails, a community center, and even more that I'm leaving out. There are plenty of alternatives, that's not the problem. The problem is the police allow criminals to do whatever they wish. They allow these criminals to emasculate them, publicly, and even then they don't care. It's the most frustrating living situation I've ever dealt with...and it only took me 10 months to actually get this apartment because of the idiotic housing system. Fantastic.
00:30 August 18, 2011 by Da Goat
If the police have lost their balls, then it is time to release the sniper guy again (God forbid) so that the youths will be too worried to make molotov cocktails!

if they have their heads down they will not be making trouble!

bring back Batman to Gothenburg city LOL.
09:53 August 18, 2011 by Smokebox
It's time to fight fire with fire....
18:24 August 18, 2011 by StockholmSam
Damned whippersnappers better stay off my lawn!
13:22 August 20, 2011 by godnatt
But it's "diverse" here now!

Doesn't that make up for the firebombing thugs and collapse of law and order?
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