"Attack us if you dare".
So wrote a Malmö FF hooligan to a Djurgården supporter before the big brawl in Stockholm got underway. Now eleven MFF supporters are being sentenced for violent rioting.
The violent brawl between around 50 supporters of Malmö FF and Djurgården took place on Fridhemsplan in Stockholm on September 16 last year. It was the day before MFF were to meet Hammarby away.
A 34-year-old man is identified as one of the leaders of a so-called ultras faction of MFF supporters and he is said to have written to a Djurgården supporter in a mobile chat shortly before the fight broke out: "Attack us if you dare".
Had brought mouthguards
He and a 28-year-old man are now being sentenced as instigators of the violent riot. In total, eleven of the twelve defendants are being sentenced by Malmö District Court for violent rioting.
The court believes that the MFF supporters were prepared for the attack and that some of them had brought items such as mouthguards.
This doesn't seem to have been a group that was enjoying the evening and getting ready for the match the next day. The group that had gathered had brought objects, bangers, and face masks. Why would you bring that if you're just going out for a beer in the evening? says prosecutor Henrik Nordquist to TT.
The indictment received widespread attention because Malmö FF's central defender and captain Pontus Jansson had appeared in a group chat with some of the defendants who, according to the prosecutor, are leaders of the ultras faction. Jansson himself has not been suspected of a crime.
He has since reported the prosecutor to the Chancellor of Justice (JO) for several errors and what Jansson considers to be lies in the investigation.
I have no comment on that. It's his full right. There have been mistakes, which I have also confirmed and apologized for, says Henrik Nordquist.
Welcome JO complaint
When the investigation became public, it quickly became clear that some messages between the defendants and Jansson in the chat had disappeared.
I can honestly think it's good that the JO gets to look at all the twists and turns in this case. That they can make a statement on whether I did right or wrong. Now there are many people who think I've been sitting and editing the material. That's really not the case, says the prosecutor.
Malmö FF has conducted an internal investigation and, apart from "several disciplinary measures" being taken, Jansson has temporarily been stripped of the captain's armband.
Eleven of twelve Malmö FF supporters are being sentenced for violent rioting in connection with a hooligan brawl with Djurgården supporters on Fridhemsplan in Stockholm on September 16 last year.
A 34-year-old man is also being sentenced for assault in connection with the brawl and the sentence is seven months in prison, according to the verdict from Malmö District Court.
A 20-year-old man is also being sentenced for attempted robbery in connection with the clash and two drug offenses. The sentence for him is one and a half years in prison.
A 25-year-old man is also being sentenced for, among other things, robbery and aggravated assault in connection with MFF's home match against Elfsborg on November 12 last year – the match where the Scanians secured the championship title. He is being sentenced to two years in prison.
One of the defendants is being acquitted since it has not been proven that he was involved in the brawl.
The remaining defendants who are being sentenced receive conditional sentences or probation with community service.
