In view of the “escalating gang crime”, the conservative Kristersson once again advocated tougher measures: criminals would have to be imprisoned and those without Swedish citizenship would have to be expelled. However, it will take time to get the problem under control, he added, with a view to years of fighting other waves of violence, such as in New York in the 1990s and more recently in neighboring Denmark.
Sweden has struggled for years with conflicts between rival gangs that have resulted in repeated shots and deliberate explosions, hitting bystanders. In 2022, there were 388 gun incidents in the EU country, and 61 people died. The situation in the capital Stockholm has recently deteriorated again: since Christmas there have been more than 20 acts of violence of this kind, including several last weekend.
Two people were killed during the renewed wave of violence, most recently a man on Friday evening. Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer speaks of “terrorists”. It’s “incredibly important that we don’t become numb,” he said. The possibilities for wiretapping suspected perpetrators are to be expanded, and around 190 officials from other parts of the country have also been sent to the capital to provide support.
Investigator accuses police of “total failure”.
The police seem to have lost control of the matter: since 2015, the clear-up rate for fatal attacks has dropped, in 2022 only every fourth act led to a conviction. As a result, murders would be considered by the gangs to be without risk, said criminologist Amir Rostami. The criminals are becoming increasingly brutal, according to Kristersson they are “people with an extreme potential for violence who, in search of revenge or status, threaten the safety and freedom of other people”.
“We are doing everything we can to make sure everything is safe and secure in Stockholm,” Anders Thornberg, chief of police officers in Sweden, told radio station Sveriges Radio P4. Investigator Caroline Asplund accuses the police of “total failure” in fighting the gangs. Officials have always demanded that others — such as social services, schools and parents — must help with prevention. The authority lacks self-criticism.
“Kurdish fox” pulling the strings?
A conflict over the drug market in the city of Sundsvall, almost 400 kilometers further north, is suspected to be one of the reasons for the incidents over the weekend. According to SVT and Aftonbladet newspaper, a 24-year-old with a criminal network is in charge there. A 36-year-old living in Turkey – known in Sweden as “Kurdish fox” – wants to challenge him for the position, it is said.
Several acts are said to have been directed against relatives of the two main actors. According to SVT information, it is suspected within the police force that criminals have a kind of list of potential targets and the corresponding prize money for carrying out orders against these people. According to the broadcaster, the network of the “Kurdish fox” is behind this.
“The indifference shown by these networks and the risk that a third person will be harmed increases with the severity of the violent crimes we observe,” Josef Wiklund, chief of the local police in Sundsvall, told “Aftonbladet”. “On the other hand, I think it’s important to highlight the fact that crime in society in general has declined.” One must continue to “act proactively and ensure that these networks do not prevail”.
Half of suspects under 18
A police spokeswoman called the situation “very tense”. “It’s not the norm and hasn’t happened before in this spiral of violence,” she said. A police expert on gang violence, Gunnar Appelgren, spoke of a very serious conflict. It’s about killing or being killed – with victims and perpetrators getting younger and younger.
On Friday evening, two minors were injured in a chase. Police found guns in the car they were driving. Also on Saturday afternoon, three young people were arrested after a man was shot at in the southern Stockholm district of Enskede. Half of the suspects are under 18, said investigating commander Hanna Paradis recently.
Combating gang violence as a campaign promise
The conservative government under Prime Minister Kristersson, supported by right-wing populists, recently announced that it intends to tighten immigration policy as a further measure. This is also supposed to affect gang crime: According to experts, members are increasingly being recruited from immigrant families.
Kristersson has been prime minister since mid-October. At that time he succeeded the social democrat Magdalena Andersson and governs with a conservative-liberal three-party coalition, which would not have its own majority without the right-wing populist Sweden Democrats. That is why the government has entered into cooperation with the right – a novelty for the Scandinavian EU country.
She works closely with the party in parliament, including in the fight against criminals. Before the new government took office, combating gang violence was a central promise and, according to many observers, was probably decisive for the election.
