List of grenade attacks in Sweden

Last updated

This crime's category is very new in Sweden and was not even logged before 2017. [1]

Contents

Background

Bombings increased significantly in 2015, with Swedish police investigating around 100–150 explosions. [2] [3] [4] There were over 30 explosions reported in the Swedish city of Malmö alone by August 2015, [5] up from a total of 25 in all of 2014. [6] Malmö police have consequently warned about undetonated grenades in the city. [7] [8] By 2019, there were more than 100 explosions in Sweden. [9]

Many such attacks are related to organised crime and extortion of restaurants and businesses. [10] Far-right political activists spreading anti-immigrant sentiments have attributed the rise in grenade attacks and crime with the migrant crisis, a claim that has been disputed. [11] [12] [13] Paulina Neuding of The Spectator wrote that Swedish officials have failed to effectively address the problem: "it's still hard for Swedish authorities to be frank about what's going on. It's widely known that gang members are mainly first- and second-generation immigrants." [14]

Detonated hand grenades in Sweden from 2011 to 5 December 2018. [15]

In Malmö the grenades are frequently old weapons from the wars in the Balkans. The police assume that someone imported a large cache of grenades, which has then been distributed to criminal gangs. [16] [3] In addition to grenade attacks, there are a significant number of related bomb attacks with improvised explosive devices, including homemade bombs. [17] [18] The number of incidents involving explosives tripled between 2008 and 2016. [19] According to a December 2018 Swedish Television interview with researcher Amir Rostami, Sweden has a high number of hand grenade attacks compared to neighbouring countries Denmark, Norway, and Germany. According to the Swedish police the reason may be the light sentence for possession compared to a firearm and that the evidence destroys itself when used. [20] While gun homicides were on the rise in the 2011–2018 time span, according to a study at Malmö University, the number of hand grenade attacks had shown a strong increase in the same period and a total of 116 hand grenade detonations were recorded. Rostami said criminologists in Sweden don't know why there was a strong increase and why Sweden has a much higher rate than countries close by. [15] Statistics are hard to come by as the only country apart from Sweden that publishes statistics is Mexico. [20]

The hand grenades found by the police are exclusively the ex-Yugoslavian M75 hand grenade. [21]

While Swedish media sometimes are accused of not covering the topic enough, a 2019 study by polling company Kantar Sifo found that law and order was the most covered news topic on Swedish TV and radio and on social media. [1]

List of noted attacks

1993

2002–2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

In 2016 there were about almost 40 hand grenade attacks in Sweden. [47]

2017

2018

Responses

Along with a number of shootings, the summer of 2015 was dubbed "the summer of unrest" by Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, who during a speech said the attacks would "not be tolerated". [96] Some hundred new police officers were set to be appointed in Malmö in the following months, after concerns were raised by the regional police union. [97] Police began work the same summer of attempting to thwart "mass hysteria" among terrified Malmö residents. [98]

In 2017 the Swedish government proposed harsher punishments for possession of grenades. [99]

In 2018 the Swedish government proposed a three-month "grenade amnesty" to be held from October 2018 to January 2019. [100]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Maddy Savage (12 November 2019). "Sweden's 100 explosions this year: What's going on?". Stockholm: BBC News. Archived from the original on 17 November 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  2. 1 2 "Allt fler kriminella använder sprängämnen". P4 Stockholm (in Swedish). 9 July 2016. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Kraftig ökning av handgranater i Sverige". P3 Morgonpasset. Sveriges Radio. 25 August 2016. Archived from the original on 28 August 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Kriminell användning av dödliga sprängmedel ökar". Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 9 July 2016. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  5. ↑ "Ny granatattack i Malmö" (in Swedish). SVT. 10 August 2015. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  6. ↑ "Third grenade attack in a week rocks Malmö". 2015-07-24. Archived from the original on 2017-05-22. Retrieved 2017-06-02.
  7. ↑ Radio, Sveriges (25 July 2015). "Malmö residents warned to watch out for hand grenades – Radio Sweden". Sveriges Radio. Archived from the original on 2017-10-24. Retrieved 2017-06-02.
  8. ↑ Hildebrand, Alistair Scrutton and Elias von. "In a port city, grenade attacks shatter Swedish sense of safety". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2017-03-06. Retrieved 2017-06-02.
  9. ↑ "Sweden's 100 explosions this year: What's going on?". BBC News. November 12, 2019. Archived from the original on November 17, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Gäng, granater och utpressning i storstäderna". Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 29 July 2015. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  11. ↑ "Sweden's violent reality is undoing a peaceful self-image". Politico. April 16, 2018. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  12. ↑ QZ: Open borders and vintage Balkan hand grenades are being blamed for a crime wave in Sweden Archived 2018-05-10 at the Wayback Machine , "These grenade attacks have occurred alongside a record influx of asylum seekers, which the main anti-immigrant party, Sweden Democrats, have been quick to capitalize on. ... Gerell dismisses the argument that immigrants are driving a crime wave"
  13. ↑ New York Times: Hand Grenades and Gang Violence Rattle Sweden's Middle Class Archived 2018-04-21 at the Wayback Machine , "Sweden's far right-wing party blames the government's liberal immigration policy for the rising crime"
  14. ↑ "Violent crime in Sweden is soaring. When will politicians act?". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 2018-06-15. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
  15. 1 2 Salihu, Diamant (2018-12-10). "116 granatattacker på åtta år – Sverige sticker ut". SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 2018-12-10. Retrieved 2018-12-11.
  16. ↑ "Jugoslaviska handgranater bakom explosionerna". Sydsvenskan . 23 July 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Sprängningarna ökar i Skåne". P4 Malmöhus (in Swedish). 22 June 2015. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  18. 1 2 "Bombkarta: Här har sprängladdningar detonerat i Malmö". Sydsvenskan (in Swedish). 29 May 2015. Archived from the original on 2016-09-19. Retrieved 2016-06-29.
  19. ↑ "Bombskyddet rycker ut – minst tre gånger per dygn". Göteborgsposten. 21 December 2016. Archived from the original on 23 December 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  20. 1 2 Roden, Lee (28 February 2018). "Why Swedish gangs use hand grenades (and what the country is doing about it)". The Local. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  21. ↑ "Metro Mode – Mode, skönhet, hälsa och inredning". Archived from the original on 2019-05-29. Retrieved 2020-11-06.
  22. ↑ "Han förhandlade med kaparen 1993". Sveriges Radio. April 26, 2014. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 6, 2020– via sverigesradio.se.
  23. ↑ "Bombhotade plan – för tredje gången". Aftonbladet. 11 June 2015. Archived from the original on 2020-01-27. Retrieved 2020-11-06.
  24. ↑ "Expo: Greps med handgranat i Kungsträdgården". Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-22.
  25. ↑ "8 saker som påminner oss om vad Sverigedemokraterna egentligen står för". www.expressen.se. 9 February 2015. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-22.
  26. ↑ BANDIDOS OCH SEYYED Archived 2017-12-09 at the Wayback Machine , gp.se
  27. ↑ "Bandidos-ledare får 9 års fängelse". Aftonbladet. 14 January 2009. Archived from the original on 2020-11-09. Retrieved 2020-11-06.
  28. ↑ "22 bomber – på tre år". www.expressen.se. 8 June 2011. Archived from the original on 2020-08-15. Retrieved 2020-11-06.
  29. ↑ "Sprängdåd påverkade inte arbetet". Sydsvenskan (in Swedish). 3 February 2014. Archived from the original on 2016-09-19. Retrieved 2016-06-29.
  30. ↑ "Granat tros ligga bakom explosion". mitti.se (in Swedish). 16 February 2016. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  31. ↑ "Nytt sprängattentat skakade Malmö i natt". Skånska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 23 April 2015. Archived from the original on 5 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  32. 1 2 3 4 5 "Sex handgranater på 13 månader i Uppsala". unt.se (in Swedish). 25 June 2016. Archived from the original on 27 June 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  33. 1 2 "Polisen bekräftar: Handgranat mot Birger Jarl". unt.se (in Swedish). 2 December 2015. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Åtta handgranatsattacker i Malmö i sommar" (in Swedish). SVT. 10 August 2015. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  35. 1 2 3 4 5 "Sommaren i Malmö har varit våldsam". ETC (in Swedish). 22 July 2015. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  36. ↑ "Shooting, hand grenade attack rock Swedish city, one injured". Chinadaily.com.cn. 21 June 2016. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  37. ↑ "Handgranatsattack mot socialkontor". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). 24 July 2015. Archived from the original on 20 December 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  38. ↑ "Hand grenade explodes in Malmö". Radio Sweden. 26 July 2015. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  39. ↑ "Explosion rocks Swedish city as violence surges". Xinhuanet. 27 July 2015. Archived from the original on 26 October 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  40. ↑ "Granatattack mot socialkontoret i Trelleborg". Skånska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 5 August 2015. Archived from the original on 29 June 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  41. ↑ "Malmö shaken by another grenade attack". The Local. 10 August 2015. Archived from the original on 5 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  42. ↑ "Skarp granat kastad mot polisbuss". P4 Stockholm (in Swedish). 20 August 2015. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  43. ↑ "Misstänkt handgranat exploderade i Borås". Expressen (in Swedish). 11 September 2015. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  44. ↑ "Granatattacken: Kvinna fanns i lägenheten". Göteborgs-Posten (in Swedish). 13 October 2015. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  45. ↑ "Gothenburg shaken by suspected grenade blast". The Local. 14 October 2015. Archived from the original on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  46. ↑ "Explosion orsakades troligtvis av handgranat". lokaltidningen.se (in Swedish). 13 November 2015. Archived from the original on 8 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  47. ↑ ""Läget är jävligt allvarligt"". Forskning & Framsteg (in Swedish). 2018-02-08. Archived from the original on 2018-08-24. Retrieved 2018-08-23.
  48. 1 2 3 4 5 "Handgranatsvågen är inte över – fortfarande stort antal enligt bombgruppen". Sydsvenskan (in Swedish). 2 August 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
  49. ↑ "Explosionen kan ha varit en handgranat" (in Swedish). SVT. 27 January 2016.
  50. ↑ "Larm om två explosioner i Göteborg" (in Swedish). SVT. 12 February 2016. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  51. ↑ "Misstänkt explosion i centrala Stockholm". Expressen (in Swedish). 28 March 2016. Archived from the original on 2 July 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  52. ↑ "Granat kastades in i Gula villan". mitti.se (in Swedish). 7 April 2016. Archived from the original on 13 October 2016.
  53. ↑ "Malmö home rocked by suspected grenade blast". The Local. 18 May 2016. Archived from the original on 20 July 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  54. ↑ "Polisen: Finns ingen hotbild". Svenska Dagbladet/TT (in Swedish). 18 May 2016. Archived from the original on 26 May 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  55. ↑ "Kraftig detonation i södra Stockholm". Expressen (in Swedish). 7 June 2016. Archived from the original on 8 July 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  56. ↑ "Man skadad av granatexplosionen". mitti.se (in Swedish). 10 June 2016. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  57. ↑ "Flera skott avlossade i Sollentuna" (in Swedish). SVT/TT. 9 July 2016. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  58. ↑ "Fler poliser till Sollentuna efter skottlossningar". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 10 July 2016. Archived from the original on 13 July 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  59. ↑ "Morgonkollen: Handgranat kastades in under bil". mitti.se (in Swedish). 13 July 2016. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  60. ↑ Gartéus, Madeleine (22 August 2016). "Explosion i flerfamiljshus i Göteborg". Göteborgs-Posten (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  61. ↑ "Birmingham schoolboy 'killed in grenade explosion in Sweden'". The Guardian. 22 August 2016. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  62. ↑ "Polisen: Explosionen var handgranat". Göteborgsposten. 15 December 2016. Archived from the original on 16 December 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  63. ↑ "Nya uppgifter: Minst en granat kastades". Göteborg-Posten (in Swedish). 6 September 2016. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  64. ↑ "Nya uppgifter: Minst en granat kastades". Göteborgs-Posten (in Swedish). 6 September 2016. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  65. ↑ "Detonation i Malmö orsakades av handgranat" (in Swedish). SVT. 24 October 2016. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  66. ↑ "Handgranat sprängde pizzeria i Landskrona". hd.se (in Swedish). 28 October 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-10-30. Retrieved 2016-10-30.
  67. ↑ "Granatattack kunde fått förödande konsekvenser – exploderade intill bensinmack". Sydsvenskan (in Swedish). 11 November 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
  68. ↑ "Explosion på frisörsalong misstänks vara utpressning – 44-åring åtalas". vlt.se (in Swedish). 3 May 2017. Archived from the original on 18 January 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  69. ↑ "Granat detonerade i trädgård". Sydsvenskan (in Swedish). TT. 22 November 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
  70. ↑ Thornéus, Ebba; Melin, Erik (2016-11-30). "Explosion i norra Stockholm" [Explosion in northern Stockholm]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 2016-12-01. Retrieved 2016-11-30.
  71. ↑ "Polisen: Explosionen var handgranat". Göteborgs-Posten (in Swedish). 16 December 2016. Archived from the original on 16 December 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  72. ↑ "Handgranat mot polisstation i Katrineholm". Sveriges Television. 1 January 2017. Archived from the original on 3 January 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  73. ↑ "Polisens teori: Handgranat bakom explosionen på Täppgatan – "Fullständigt livsfarligt"". lt.se (in Swedish). 23 February 2017. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  74. ↑ "Handgranat exploderade – en person skadad". lokaltidningen.se (in Swedish). 28 February 2017. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  75. ↑ "Skarpladdad handgranat kastades in på balkong". Östgöta Correspondenten (in Swedish). 11 April 2017. Archived from the original on 12 April 2017. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  76. ↑ "Kraftig explosion i Spånga – delar av handgranat hittad". Aftonbladet. 7 July 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-07-12. Retrieved 2020-11-06.
  77. ↑ "Polisen: Kraftig smäll på Flustret var handgranat". SVT Nyheter. July 22, 2017. Archived from the original on January 19, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2018– via www.svt.se.
  78. ↑ "Polisen: Det var en handgranat som briserade i Halmstad". www.expressen.se. 24 July 2017. Archived from the original on 2018-01-19. Retrieved 2018-01-19.
  79. ↑ "Granat exploderade vid restaurang". Aftonbladet. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  80. ↑ "Granat detonerade i trapphus på Östermalm". Mitt i Stockholm (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  81. ↑ "Polisens teori: Handgranat exploderade – kopplas till gängkonflikten". www.expressen.se. 19 September 2017. Archived from the original on 2018-01-18. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
  82. ↑ Lindqvist, Pär (October 11, 2017). "Analysen pekar på en handgranat". hn.se. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  83. ↑ "Misstänkt granat mot bostadshus". Expressen (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  84. ↑ "Entrén till polishuset i Helsingborg sprängd". SVT (in Swedish). 18 October 2017. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  85. ↑ "Explosion i centrala Solna". SVT (in Swedish). 21 October 2017. Archived from the original on 19 January 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  86. ↑ "De fick granatsplitter i garageporten". Archived from the original on 28 November 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  87. ↑ "EXTRA: Granat ska ha kastats mot polisbil – exploderade på banvallen". Archived from the original on 30 November 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  88. ↑ "Polisen: Handgranat orsakade explosion". www.expressen.se. 3 December 2017. Archived from the original on 2018-01-18. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
  89. ↑ "One dead after explosion outside Stockholm subway station". The Local SE. Archived from the original on 7 January 2018. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  90. ↑ "Stockholm subway station explosion was a hand grenade, police confirm". The Local Sweden. 9 January 2018. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  91. ↑ Göteborg, P4 (January 23, 2018). "Granatattacker kopplas till gängkonflikt". Sveriges Radio. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 6, 2020– via sverigesradio.se.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  92. ↑ "Kraftig explosion i lägenhet i Göteborg – granat ska ha kastats in genom fönster". Aftonbladet. 21 January 2018. Archived from the original on 2019-04-09. Retrieved 2020-11-06.
  93. ↑ "Handgranatsattack mot bankanställd". www.expressen.se. 9 February 2018. Archived from the original on 2019-06-16. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  94. ↑ Anderson, Ellen Barry and Christina (3 March 2018). "Hand Grenades and Gang Violence Rattle Sweden's Middle Class". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2018-08-07. Retrieved 2018-08-15.
  95. ↑ Divinyi, Sandra (19 December 2018). "Bekräftat: Handgranat kastades in på restaurang". gp.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2018-12-19.
  96. ↑ "PM: 'We will not give an inch to violence'". The Local. 16 August 2015. Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  97. ↑ "More officers for Malmö in bid to tackle violence". The Local. 13 August 2015. Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  98. ↑ "Polisen vill hindra "masshysteri" efter granat-attack". Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 21 June 2015. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  99. ↑ "Nu vill regeringen skärpa straffet mot den som bär handgranat" (in Swedish). 11 January 2017. Archived from the original on 27 February 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  100. ↑ "Government plans amnesty to get grenades off Sweden's streets". 30 November 2017. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 1 December 2017.