Published 17 May 2021 at 19.22
Domestic. During the night until Monday, about 20 fires were started in Eskilstuna, including at the police station. Three people have been arrested. The police are now working intensively with the investigation and strengthening the presence of external personnel.
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At ten o'clock on Sunday evening, the first of several subsequent alarms about fires in Eskilstuna was received. A total of at least 25 vehicles were set on fire and in addition a burning object was set on fire at the back of the police station.
After extensive efforts by the police and rescue services, the fires could be extinguished and three people arrested. They are under arrest, reasonably suspected of attempted aggravated assault. However, the crime classifications may change, according to the police.
After the arrests, no further alarms were received about new fires. The people are already known to the police and have connections to criminal networks. No people have been injured and there are no confirmed attacks on individual police officers.
The police are now increasing their police presence in Eskilstuna and working with visibility to create security and receive tips and witness information and to be able to handle further incidents. .
The motive for the fires is being investigated, but according to the police there are suspicions that the fires are a coordinated expression of dissatisfaction with the fact that the police have been active against criminal constellations. Among other things, key people have been detained and large seizures of drugs have been made.
– This is very serious, not least when you attack the police in this way. It is not a successful strategy, it is not the case that we stop doing our job because someone shows their dissatisfaction. If we are to avoid our interest, we must stop committing crimes, says Ulrika Herbst, regional police chief in the East region, in a statement.
The police in Eskilstuna now receive reinforcements from other local police areas in the police region East and also from other police regions and the police national operational department if deemed necessary.
– What happened in Eskilstuna is serious. Deeds like these create great insecurity in society. The arson attacks are an attack on the rule of law and, by extension, on democracy. We stand united and strengthen the local presence in Eskilstuna when needed, says Anders Thornberg, National Police Chief.