Chaotic scenes unfolded on Järvafältet in connection with an Eritrean cultural festival on Thursday afternoon. In total, more than 50 people were injured, including a number of police officers.
Journalist Ahmed Alzayyan from Alkompis was broken down by police in the middle of a live broadcast from the riot in Järva.
– A policeman sprayed me in the face, says Ahmed.
Journalist Ahmed Alzayyan was at the Eritrean festival in Järva on Thursday to report for the Arabic-language newspaper Alkompis when he was tackled and pepper-sprayed by police who arrived at the scene in response to the riot.
– I shouted “press, press” but the police refused to listen, says Ahmed to TV4 Nyheterna.
There were several policemen who wrestled Ahmed down, one of whom sprayed him in the face, he says.
– I found it difficult to breathe and could only see a little with one eye.
Ahmed, who had his mobile phone confiscated, reportedly asked to show his ID, but was reportedly asked by a police officer to remain silent.
It was only when Alkompi’s editor-in-chief Mahmoud Agha arrived at the scene and spoke to the police that Ahmed was released and able to go to the emergency room in Sollentuna with burning in his face and eyes, as well as pain in his back.
The newspaper’s CEO and personnel manager, Julia Agha, tells TV4 Nyheterna that she fully understands the police’s work in the chaotic situation that arose, but is critical of the reporter being pepper-sprayed when he was lying down and did not resist.
– Our reporter was not part of the riot but stood there filming when he was suddenly tackled. But I am critical of him getting pepper spray when he is already lying down, says Julia Agha.
– I am even more critical that they did not listen to him when he shouted “press, press”, even later when he was detained for 20-30 minutes and tried to explain, she continues.
The newspaper Alkompis will not file a report against the police at the moment, but hopes for a dialogue to understand how they should act when monitoring similar situations.
The police say that they do not know the individual incident in detail to be able to comment on it.
– It is very easy to say that you are the press without actually being. How can a police officer during an ongoing operation know that it is really true if it is not made clear, says the police’s press spokesperson in the central region, Daniel Wikdahl.