Sweden Violence: Dozens Of Vehicles Vandalized, Burnt Across Multiple Locations

Over 80 vehicles were vandalized, and dozens set on fire in multiple locations in Sweden by masked youths on Monday evening, reports said.

The police records show multiple vehicles were set on fire within hours at Malmö, Gothenburg and Helsingborg. Footage that was recorded shows youngsters targeting vehicles at a shopping center and a hospital parking lot at Frölunda Torg.

As of now, no reports of injuries were documented. Around 40 fire-fighters were on duty to handle the multiple blazes.

The police are investigating to check whether the incidents that happened across the country are related.

“While most fires started within a short period of time, it cannot be excluded that there is a connection between the fires, the case will be investigated,” police said.

The Daily Mail reported that the largest group that took part in the vandalism and fire-bombing was at Trollhättan, north of Gothenburg, where as many as 40 people threw stones and started fires.

Video footage shared on social media platforms showed huge fires and people running around.

The police were notified of several youngsters who came in to the parking lot at a specialist hospital at Frölunda Torg, Gothenburg, at 9 p.m. local time (3 p.m. EDT). They also received calls of the same happening at Skolspåret in Hjällbo. Rescue service and police were dispatched to the spot.

An hour later, police were called to Rolfsgatan, Malmö, due to reports of a fire in a car at around 10 p.m. local time (4 p.m. EDT). When the police reached the spot, they found two cars burning. The fires were subsequently extinguished. A notification of the damage was filed, but the circumstances surrounding the fire remain unclear.

At Helsingborg, police records show they were called to the scene due to fires in two cars at around 11 p.m. local time (5 p.m. EDT). There was a risk of the fire spreading to other vehicles nearby as well. The fire was soon extinguished, but the perpetrators were not identified or arrested.

A report said around 31 cars were burned and 35 vandalized in Frölunda by a group of six to eight masked youngsters. At Trollhättan, a group of around 30 to 40 people were reported to be throwing stones and fire-bombs. The roads were blocked by the youngsters, the report said.

No more fires were reported after that.

According to the police, no injuries were reported. The fires were all extinguished by midnight. The police were in the process of identifying people who were involved in the incidents, but it was not clear whether any arrests were made, the Daily Mail reported.

Many caravans and trucks were also vandalized. Swedish media reported that a “dark-haired” individual was the one launching the attacks.

In the past two years that led up to the election, which will take place in three weeks, Sweden has seen a surge in gang violence.