The eyewitnesses could not believe their eyes when they saw the car coming in front of them. The driver swerved across the center line and drove straight into the reindeer.
– It is completely unacceptable behavior, neither does it concern reindeer or other animals, who wants to stress and frighten animals with meaning in that way, says the woman who filmed.
“Everyone else has stopped”
The reindeer belong to Gabna Sami village. During Friday, the Sami village chose to report the incident to the police based on what they have seen in the clip.
– You can see on the video that everyone else has stopped or is driving slowly, except for this person who turns across the road, says Hans Olof Landström, chairman of Gabna Sami village.
The car was clearly marked with a company logo. The driver has now received a warning from his employer.
– We have indicated to the driver, through a warning, that this type of behavior is not accepted by the company, says the driver’s manager.
According to the chief, the driver said he tried to scare the animals off the road to protect them from being hit.
The company must now change its traffic policy to prevent it from happening again. They have also sought contact with the Sami village to apologize.
“Conflict with nature”
Similar events have happened several times before.
Last summer, a man was convicted of animal cruelty after he chased reindeer with his truck. Several Sami villages have testified about how reindeer have been exposed to both poachers and animal abusers. It is often linked to hate crimes against the Sami.
Matti Blind Berg, chairman of the Confederation of the Swedish Sami, looks at the incident from that perspective and worries about where society is headed.
– I am worried that this type of incidents and conflicts will increase as industrial society and modern society come into conflict with nature and the nature-based industries. Where will nature and animals have a place, one can ask, he says.