Turmoil and chaos. Last year's Eritrean cultural festival was marked by violence and unrest. Ahead of this year's festival, security has been tightened.
They're doing things differently, says Rebecca Landberg, press spokesperson for the police in Stockholm.
Hundreds of regime-critical demonstrators stormed last year's festival. To increase security ahead of this year's event, which begins on Thursday at Järvafältet north of Stockholm, the police have worked in several ways.
Among other things, the area will be surveilled by cameras and police resources from across the country have been called in.
They're doing things differently this year, which means, among other things, that we'll have more police, says Rebecca Landberg, press spokesperson for the police in Stockholm.
Moved demonstration
The police have also decided to reject the counter-demonstrators' choice of location, which will now be held farther away, on the other side of E18 in relation to the festival.
It's very important. If there's a greater distance, it's also easier for the police to keep the groups separate from each other, says Rebecca Landberg.
Stones were thrown
Last year, stones and other objects were thrown, and tents and cars were set on fire. Over 50 people were injured and nearly 140 people were detained. In an evaluation from last year, the police concluded that they had not expected the extent of the violence, according to Rebecca Landberg.
They weren't prepared for so many counter-demonstrators with the level of violence that was present, says Rebecca Landberg.
She also says that it's difficult to determine how many demonstrators and visitors are expected to attend this year, but that the police feel confident in their security work.
