The police: “People are afraid” • This is what the situation looks like where you live – see the whole list
People who have been shot at, bicycle sheds that have burned down and rockets that have been launched from vehicles.
Before the New Year, rockets and firecrackers have set it off in many parts of the country and the police have received hundreds of alarms – this is what the situation looks like in your region.
– Among other things, there are A-tractors that shoot at each other, you play with rockets in general, says Anders Dahlman.
Most often, no permission is required to shoot rockets during certain hours on New Year’s Eve, while it is prohibited in the days before. Despite this, all police regions in the country have had incidents and alarms linked to fireworks in the days before New Year’s Eve.
Hundreds of alarms linked to firecrackers and fireworks
In police region South alone, which includes Blekinge, Kalmar, Kronoberg and Skåne, over 600 alarms have been received since Thursday. And from several parts of the country there are reports of people firing rockets at people, vehicles or buildings.
– It is certainly fun for those who have shot, but many have been scared, says Mats Pettersson, press spokesperson in the police region East.
The police are forced to prioritize the alarms
The many alarms led, among other things, to the police region West urging the public to try to assess whether there is a risk that someone or property was damaged in connection with an incident. If not, you were asked to report on the police’s website instead of ringing the alarm.
In the Stockholm police region, there have also been problems with people not knowing whether it is an act of violence or rockets that sound, which has led to the police having to go out on more alarms.
– If you hear a bang, you don’t know if it’s a shooting, detonation or rocket. Sometimes we have to ride it regardless. People call because they are worried, says Mats Eriksson, the police’s spokesperson in the Stockholm region.
The police’s appeal for the New Year: Consider this
Before the New Year, the police have issued a couple of points to consider if you want to shoot rockets or other pyrotechnic goods.
You must be 18 years of age to buy, possess and use fireworks. Fireworks that the police find in the possession of persons under the age of 18 will be confiscated and destroyed.
Firecrackers and fireworks with bangs as the main effect are generally prohibited and may not be used or sold without special permission.
Many municipalities have local regulations regarding when and where fireworks may be set off.
Often a permit from the police is required to handle fireworks.
This is what the situation looks like in your region
Police region Bergslagen
Police region Bergslagen has had several alarms linked to rockets and firecrackers.
– There was a lot last night and during the night, actually in the entire region, says Anders Dahlman, press spokesperson in the Bergslagen region.
An incident that received attention occurred in the square in Kristinehamn, where about ten young people shot rockets.
– They shot at each other and at cars. There was also a security guard who got stuck, but no one was injured, says Anders Dahlman.
Two of the young people were driven home to their guardians and the social authorities have now been involved.
It has also occurred that people have fired from vehicles and at other vehicles.
– Among other things, there are a-tractors that shoot at each other, you play with rockets in general, says Anders Dahlman.
There are no reports of anyone being injured in the region linked to firecrackers and fireworks.
Police Region East
In Östergötland alone, the police have had more than a hundred cases since last Saturday linked to rockets and firecrackers.
– Then we didn’t count Södermanland and Jönköping, we had a lot to do related to fireworks and it gradually increases the closer we get to New Year, says Mats Pettersson, press spokesperson in the police region East.
Some fires are also suspected to be related to fireworks. In the region, there have been container fires, bicycle storage and the like that burned down – there it is suspected that pyrotechnics were thrown in.
No one has been seriously injured, but the alarms in the East police region have been so numerous that the police have not been able to go to all of them.
– Fortunately, we have no serious personal injuries related to this. But it has taken some time and resources. We haven’t been able to go to all of them, but have prioritized those where you shot at houses, vehicles or other people, says Mats Pettersson.
At the same time, it has created problems for many animal owners in the region, as the animals are frightened by the explosions.
– It’s certainly fun for those who have shot, but many have been scared, says Mats Pettersson.
Police Region South
Last Friday, a man in the Kulladal district of Malmö was visited by three people with firecrackers and fireworks. The incident is being investigated as an assault and the man should not have needed hospital treatment.
Since last Thursday, there have been 662 alarms linked to firecrackers and rockets in the South police region.
– It is often someone who calls in and reports that there are explosions in the area and that it is recurring, many of these alarms we have not attended, says Sara Andersson, press spokesperson at the police.
Police region Stockholm
Even in the Stockholm police region, they have recently had problems with rockets and firecrackers being fired at both people and things.
– There has been a case on Värmdö with people shooting at each other and objects. It creates anxiety. There were no injuries and no property damage as far as I know, but it was daytime. It’s more in the evenings, says Mats Eriksson, the police’s press spokesperson in the Stockholm region.
Also in Alvik and at Gärdet in Stockholm there have been alarms about rockets and firecrackers.
– If you hear a bang, you don’t know if it’s a shooting, detonation or rocket. Sometimes we have to ride it regardless. People call because they are worried.
And for the police, it is a question of resources and it will be difficult to go out on all alarms.
– People are afraid that someone will get hurt. It creates anxiety and irritation. It’s a big problem.
Police Region Mitt
In police region Mitt, the police were alerted to the district of Bäckby in Västerås on Friday. Fireworks had then been shot into a home. No one was injured in connection with the incident, which is being investigated as vandalism and causing danger to others.
During the afternoon on New Year’s Eve, however, the police state that it is calm in the region.
– It has been calm now during the day, says Robin Solback, press spokesperson at police region Mitt.
Police Region North
During New Year’s Eve, it has been quiet during the day in the North police region regarding fireworks and firecrackers.
– It’s very calm, I don’t think we’ve had a single alarm during the day, says Casey Causevij, RLF commander in region North.
During Monday, however, the police in Umeå were alerted that a person in a car threw firecrackers at another car.
A man in his 20s is now suspected of causing harm to another, as he is suspected of having thrown firecrackers at three other people who were in the other car. No one was injured in connection with the incident.
Police Region West
In the Noltorp district in Alingsås, the police were alerted that young people had fired rockets at several people on Monday, among other things they allegedly fired at a young child. No one was injured in connection with the incident.
The alarm from Alingsås is not the only one from the region. In the West police region, they have received so many alarms about firecrackers and rockets that they urged people in the region to try to call in the incidents where there was a danger to people and property.
“This is so that we can better prioritize cases,” the police write on their website.
People were encouraged to report other incidents via the police’s website instead.