SPÅNGA / TENSTA. The security effort during Järva Week will be extra large this year.
The far-right party Alternative for Sweden, Rasmus Paludan and the Nyans Party have received permission from the police to campaign outside Spånga IP.
– We have taken height in the planning so that upset feelings can arise, says Olivia Åkerhielm, intervention police in Järva.
It is Tuesday morning and the drizzle falls over Spånga IP between Spånga, Tensta, and Rinkeby in western Stockholm. Some policemen go for a walk outside and look to examine some bushes. Inside Järva Week’s area, a man approaches Olivia Åkerhielm.
– Do you think these are throwable, he asks her worriedly and puts his hand on some riot fences.
– It’s calm, we’ll solve it later, she says and asks to come back in a while.
The security effort for this year’s edition of Järva Week will be particularly large. It is election year and all party leaders for the parliamentary parties – except Jimmie Åkesson who boycotts the event – will give speeches during the week.
It is the first time since the pandemic broke out that it is being held in physical shape and the organizer The Global Village expects a record number of visitors with around 60,000 participants, reports DN.
Higher risk of conflicts
This year, three political parties have also been granted permission to campaign outside the area.
According to the application, Rasmus Paludan’s right-wing extremist party Stram Kurs will “counter-demonstrate against Järva Week” in a parking lot outside. Right-wing extremist Alternatives for Sweden will hold up banners and hand out leaflets. The Nyans party, which targets suburbs and voters with a foreign background, has been granted permission to campaign in another part of the area.
The presence means a higher risk of conflicts and unrest.
– Absolutely. But this is not new to us, we have taken into account that there may be upset feelings and disagreements, says Olivia Åkerhielm.
Many, both ordinary people and the police, have the Easter riots fresh in their minds.
Brings in national reinforcement
She and her colleagues are here to check the area before Wednesday. Which entrances and exits there are and where to set up roadblocks, among other things. She does not want to go into how many police officers will be on site during the week, but has received national reinforcements.
– We are many enough, she says.
In addition to the police presence, the organizer The Global Village will also have security personnel on site.
Olivia Åkerhielm believes that she and her colleagues have two assignments to solve during the week.
– We want Järva Week to be a folk festival where everyone feels safe. At the same time, we must ensure that the other actors have their constitutionally protected right to express their opinions, she says.
Olivia Åkerhielm has worked as a police officer in Järva for seven years. She points out that the right-wing extremist politician Rasmus Paludan has been here several times now and that the police have a good dialogue with local actors about what is going on in the area.
“Can’t be silent to death”
Just over a kilometer from the sports ground, in the center of Tensta, stands 33-year-old Guleed Mohamed, a local profile and passionate about the area. He thinks it is good that the politicians come to Järva in connection with Järva Week and will be there himself.
He does not mind that right-wing extremist Alternatives for Sweden and Rasmus Paludan will come. Even if he himself is far from them politically.
– It is good that they are coming, it will be a kind of democracy training. What is sacred to me is not sacred to you. We must stand up for freedom of expression, it is not possible to silence unpleasant opinions, he says.
Facts
Alternative to Almedalen
Järva Week started in 2016 as an alternative to Politician Week in Almedalen on Gotland and with the aim of reducing the distance between citizens, politicians, authorities and business leaders.
The week starts today Wednesday 1/6 and runs until Sunday 5/6.
Every day between Wednesday and Saturday, two party leaders from the parliamentary parties give speeches, at 15 and 19.
During the days, a number of panel discussions, debates and music performances are held. Media, organizations, parties and authorities are also in place.
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