The Finnish police are in Sweden to monitor the local match between Djurgården and Hammarby, who play in the country’s main football league. The special comments of the Swedish police have surprised.
Micke Suopuro,
Simo Arkko
Finnish police officers are seen in Stockholm on Sunday securing the local match between Djurgården and Hammarby.
According to the police release, the goal is to practice both leadership and actual troop management and cooperation in practical situations. This is the first time that Finland participates in a troop control mission with Sweden.
Chief constable of the Swedish operational department Jesper Molander says In an interview with Hufvudstadsbladetthat the risk of violence in the match is real.
– We even hope, although maybe we shouldn’t, that something happens. In order for us to test the developed model, something would have to happen. Otherwise, the exercise is not particularly instructive.
According to Molander, matches usually have a lot of pyrotechnic products, for example. He says that the aim of the exercise is to train together for future tasks to be managed together, for example state visits or demonstrations.
The realization of the goal of the exercise would therefore require some kind of rioting, which the clubs do not want. Djurgården security manager Mats Jonsson shocked by the words of the Swedish police.
– Everyone understands that his comments were extremely stupid. I can not find the words. As the organizer of the match, I would like to believe that we will work together to prevent problems and ensure everyone’s safety, he said for Aftenbladet.
About 40,000 people are expected for the match. In May, the match between Djurgården and AIK had to be abandoned due to a clash between supporters.
On Sunday, the Finnish police officers participating in the exercise have the same powers as their Swedish counterparts. The training is made possible by the Prüm agreement signed by Finland in 2007.