Swedish police in the southern city of Malmö have increased their presence in response to media criticism of lax security in the wake of shootings by a mysterious gunman aimed at local immigrants.
Swedish Police Commissioner Bengt Svensson told reporters Friday that the shootings are a matter of national concern, and he would personally ensure that the extensive investigation now underway, is fully supported.
The number of shooting incidents has escalated in Malmö in recent years. Many of the shootings involve criminal gang settlements, but a recent series of shootings have targeted people of immigrant background, and several cases were officially confirmed as hate crimes.
In the latest in a string of targeted shootings, a man was shot in the back while waiting at a bus stop Oct 19. None of the victims had criminal records.
The police are working on the hypothesis that a single culprit is responsible for many of the crimes, according to information disclosed at a press conference on Oct. 27. However, Svensson said some of the shootings show a different pattern.
Meanwhile, Svensson hopes that the presence of more police in the city will increase of public’s sense of security.
According to the city’s website, Malmö’s population is 286,500 including roughly 170 different nationalities.
While the investigations are underway, the police will not disclose further details of their findings, but the public is being encouraged to send any tips to police.
The shootings are occurring in a context of rising anti-immigration sentiment in Sweden and Western Europe in general.
On Sept. 19, the Sweden Democrats, a right-wing, anti-immigration party, won 20 seats in national elections, giving them their first parliamentary presence since the Party was formed 1988.
The Party’s website states that, “[W]e find that too much immigration in a serious way has come to threaten the Swedish national identity and cohesion of the country.”
In the Netherlands, a similarly leaning Party for Freedom became the third largest party in Parliament in last June’s election. Its win of 24 seats makes it now the third largest party in Parliament and in a position to be the power broker on many issues.
France has made the most headlines for its recent ban of full face veils aimed at Muslim women and expelling hundreds of Roma people, mostly back to Bulgaria and Romania.
In Italy, the current government under Silvio Berlusconi has passed a series of tough laws on illegal immigrants including fines of up to $14,000, and half a year in jail. Anyone putting up illegals can also face jail terms.
Swedish Police Commissioner Bengt Svensson told reporters Friday that the shootings are a matter of national concern, and he would personally ensure that the extensive investigation now underway, is fully supported.
The number of shooting incidents has escalated in Malmö in recent years. Many of the shootings involve criminal gang settlements, but a recent series of shootings have targeted people of immigrant background, and several cases were officially confirmed as hate crimes.
In the latest in a string of targeted shootings, a man was shot in the back while waiting at a bus stop Oct 19. None of the victims had criminal records.
The police are working on the hypothesis that a single culprit is responsible for many of the crimes, according to information disclosed at a press conference on Oct. 27. However, Svensson said some of the shootings show a different pattern.
Meanwhile, Svensson hopes that the presence of more police in the city will increase of public’s sense of security.
According to the city’s website, Malmö’s population is 286,500 including roughly 170 different nationalities.
While the investigations are underway, the police will not disclose further details of their findings, but the public is being encouraged to send any tips to police.
The shootings are occurring in a context of rising anti-immigration sentiment in Sweden and Western Europe in general.
On Sept. 19, the Sweden Democrats, a right-wing, anti-immigration party, won 20 seats in national elections, giving them their first parliamentary presence since the Party was formed 1988.
The Party’s website states that, “[W]e find that too much immigration in a serious way has come to threaten the Swedish national identity and cohesion of the country.”
In the Netherlands, a similarly leaning Party for Freedom became the third largest party in Parliament in last June’s election. Its win of 24 seats makes it now the third largest party in Parliament and in a position to be the power broker on many issues.
France has made the most headlines for its recent ban of full face veils aimed at Muslim women and expelling hundreds of Roma people, mostly back to Bulgaria and Romania.
In Italy, the current government under Silvio Berlusconi has passed a series of tough laws on illegal immigrants including fines of up to $14,000, and half a year in jail. Anyone putting up illegals can also face jail terms.
