Reinforcements of Sweden’s specially trained police are being deployed to Stockholm after five nights of unprecedented rioting in the capital’s suburbs.
Police officers are being sent from the cities of Gothenburg and Malmo, both of which saw rioting in recent years, a spokesman said.
“They are trained and educated for the police tasks going on in Stockholm,” Kjell Lindgren said.
Several schools and scores of cars have been burnt in Stockholm this week.
Reinforcements of Sweden’s specially trained police are being deployed to Stockholm after five nights of unprecedented rioting in the capital’s suburbs
The nightly riots began on Sunday in the north-western suburb of Husby, a deprived, largely immigrant area. It is believed they were sparked by the death of a man nearly a week before, who was shot by police after he allegedly threatened to kill them with a machete.
The unrest has since spread around the city, with groups of youths stoning police and firefighters summoned to tackle arson attacks.
The rioting has raised questions about the success of the country’s attempts to integrate foreign-born residents, who now make up some 15% of the population.
In Husby, more than 80% of the 12,000 or so inhabitants are from an immigrant background, and most are from Turkey, the Middle East and Somalia.
Community activists have accused the police of using racist language during the unrest and prosecutors are investigating complaints. Police have tried to calm the situation by speaking to community leaders, such as in mosques.
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At least 30 people have died in today’s Port Said clashes sparked by the sentencing to death of 21 local people over football riots in Egypt.
Supporters of the defendants tried to storm the prison holding them and attacked police stations.
The 21 were sentenced over riots which killed 74 people after a football game at Port Said stadium last February.
Saturday’s violence follows a day of unrest on the second anniversary of the uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak.
Egypt’s national defence council, which is headed by President Mohamed Morsi, has condemned the violence and called for dialogue, saying it would consider declaring a curfew in affected areas if necessary.
Thousands of people had taken to the streets on Friday to voice their opposition to the Islamist president, accusing him of betraying the revolution.
At least seven people were killed and more than 450 wounded in unrest across Egypt.
All 21 defendants sentenced to death on Saturday were fans of Port Said club al-Masry. When the verdicts were announced by a judge in the Cairo court, relatives of victims cheered.
However, the ruling caused supporters of the defendants to go on a rampage in Port Said. Two police officers were shot dead outside the city’s prison and the state security building was reportedly set on fire.
At least another 28 people were killed and about 300 were wounded in further clashes, officials said.
Two footballers were among those killed in Saturday’s clashes, state news agency Mena reported. They are former al-Masry goalkeeper Tamir al-Fahlah and Muhammad al-Dadhawi, a player for a lower-division Port Said club.
At least 30 people have died in today’s Port Said clashes sparked by the sentencing to death of 21 local people over football riots in Egypt
The violence continued despite the deployment of army units on the city’s streets.
Meanwhile, in Cairo, clashes also broke out between police and protesters near Egypt’s Interior Ministry. Police fired tear gas to try to prevent them from reaching the building.
Last year’s football riots led to the suspension of the league.
They began minutes after the game, when al-Masry fans invaded the pitch, hurling stones and fireworks at visiting supporters from Cairo club al-Ahly.
A section of al-Ahly supporters, known as the “ultras”, played a prominent role in the protests against ex-President Mubarak.
Some accused supporters of the toppled leader of instigating the Port Said violence. They also accused police of doing little to prevent the violence.
Seventy-three people, including nine policemen, were tried over the stadium clashes. None are al-Ahly fans.
The judge said he would announce verdicts for the remaining defendants on March 9.
Friday saw a big anti-government rally in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, with opposition supporters clashing with police.
There was also unrest in 12 out of 27 of Egypt’s provinces. At least six of the deaths occurred in Suez.
In Ismailia, protesters set fire to the headquarters of the Freedom and Justice Party, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood. The city’s governorate headquarters was later also stormed.
The liberal opposition accuses Mohamed Morsi of being autocratic and driving through a new constitution that does not protect adequately freedom of expression or religion.
The government is also being blamed for a deepening economic crisis.
One of the demonstrators at Cairo’s Tahrir Square, Momen Asour, said he had come to demand an end to President Mohamed Morsi’s rule.
“We have not seen anything. Neither freedom, nor social justice, or any solution to unemployment, or any investment,” he said.
“On the contrary, the economy has collapsed.”
President Mohamed Morsi and his allies have dismissed the claim, saying they have a democratic mandate following recent elections. The constitution, drawn up by an Islamist-dominated body, was approved by a referendum last month.
Port Said 2012 football deaths
- 74 people killed in Port Said stadium on February 2, 2012
- Clashes broke out between rival fans of clubs al-Masry and al-Ahly
- Fans flooded on to pitch attacking Ahly players and fans as match ended
- Most died of concussion, cuts and suffocation
- The largest death toll in Egypt’s football history
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An Egyptian court has sentenced to death 21 defendants over clashes between rival football fans at Port Said stadium in which 74 people were killed last February.
The riots began after a league game at Port Said stadium between local side al-Masry and Cairo club al-Ahly.
The violence – Egypt’s worst football disaster – sparked riots in Cairo during which a further 16 people died.
The sentences came after a day of clashes between security forces and supporters of the secular opposition.
An Egyptian court has sentenced to death 21 defendants over clashes between rival football fans at Port Said stadium in which 74 people were killed last February
Hundreds of thousands took to the streets across Egypt to mark the second anniversary of the revolution that ousted ex-President Hosni Mubarak and voice their opposition to Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
At least seven people were killed in Friday’s unrest.
Last year’s football riots led to the suspension of the league.
It began when al-Masry fans invaded the pitch, hurling stones and fireworks at the visitors.
At the time some fans – who said security forces appeared to do little to prevent the clashes – accused supporters of toppled President Hosni Mubarak of instigating the incident.
Seventy-three people, including policemen, were tried.
The judge said he would announce the verdict for the remaining 52 defendants on March 9.
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