At Spånga IP, where Järva Week takes place, there is a parking space. When I visited the event, the far-right politician Rasmus Paludan stood there, behind a roadblock, surrounded by police, and spread his message to a few listeners.
In two other places outside the area, there were representatives of the party Nuans with an Islamic profile. And even right-wing extremist Alternatives for Sweden have received police permit to campaign.
That’s not wrong or strange that media space is used to report on the extremes. Especially not because Paludan’s presence caused several schools to cancel the relay held at the sports venue, for fear of unrest.
There is no doubt that the latter is the winning concept.
But it is not the extremes that define Järva Week (and it is not actually the party leadership numbers either). The atmosphere inside the sports field is characterized by a pleasant buzz, with a focus on socializing and the good conversation. There, those who are interested can talk to local politicians, listen to seminars and visit exhibitors from, among others, Bris, folk high schools and the defense.
This year main theme is “the choice is yours”, which is exactly what the week illustrates. For that Åsa Nilsson Söderströmgroup leader for the Liberals in Spånga-Tensta, described the situation: There are people who, instead of trying to solve problems, use them for their own gain and want to widen the gaps in society.
The question is not whether those opinions should be allowed to exist or be expressed, but how the environment chooses to react. If those present who at Easter make up with riots and riots or as hitherto during Järva Week: barely notice the provocation attempts.
There is no doubt that the latter is the winning concept. In any case, for everyone who is inside the sports field, beyond the extremes.
Read more articles by Susanne Nyström.