Urban Jungle: Swedish Ghettos Too Dangerous for Police

The old police station in Rinkeby closed in the spring of 2014. Subsequently it was decided to build a new police station with a total of 240 police officers. The new station was scheduled to open this summer, but it won't, Swedish national broadcaster SVT reported. For the simple reason that there were not any bids.

Construction companies shun this job because they are afraid of immigrant violence in Rinkeby, whose notoriety exceeds Swedish borders. In a grim twist of irony, even police officers acknowledged how dangerous Rinkeby is.

"It's too dangerous to build a police station in the area," several police officers who wanted to remain anonymous told SVT. "It must be guarded around the clock. This includes both the risk of theft but also threats to staff who will work on the construction project," they expanded.

Despite soaring gangland violence, shootings and other types of organized crime, Rinkeby, arguably a place where police is most wanted, notoriously lacks a police station. However, the construction of the ill-fated police station has not even started yet. The end date of the contract has already been extended several times, yet of no avail.

Local imam and civic activist Muhammed Hagi Farah argued that the delay is very unfortunate and sends the wrong message.

"We have a very difficult situation here right now and the whole legal system is in danger. We need more police here for people to feel safe. A police station must be therebecause it is an important symbol for the public," Muhammed Hagi Farah told SVT.

Rinkeby is colloquially known as "little Mogadishu" due to the fact that the majority of its population are of immigrant descent and is one of the burgeoning "no-go zones," where police, fire brigades and ambulances do not dare venture for safety reasons and the very existence of which the Swedish government vehemently denies. Rinkeby is internationally known for its turbulent nature. Most recently, riots broke out in Rinkeby in February 2017, when fires were started, cars were set ablaze and stones were thrown at police who responded with warning shots and later even "shots for effect."

Last week, a video depicting the harsh reality for police in troubled Swedish suburbs was uploaded on YouTube and sparked a controversy in Sweden. In the clip, filmed with the help of a body camera in various locations, including Rinkeby, angry immigrant men disrespect police officers, telling them they had "nothing to do" here and behaving violently. The video started spreading like an avalanche after a Stockholm policeman linked to it in a tweet.

To make matters worse, at least twelve gang wars are estimated to be going in Stockholm, which recently saw a dramatic spike in deadly violence and shootings, Swedish Radio reported.

 

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