Black Flag 211 index
Take Back the Night!
Demo against police violence in Stockholm
On International Women's Day, there has for the last 7 years been a "Take Back the Night!" demonstration organised by the anarcha-feminists in Stockholm in the evening. Women protest against the fact that they do not feel safe to be able to walk their own streets at night.
This year, on March 8th, 70 mainly young women gathered at 9pm on the square Medborgarplatsen on the island of Södermalm which is the traditional workers quarters of the city. As in past years the demonstration went through the city streets stopping at porn shops along the way. Near one porn shop, Golden Rose, the police planned an ambush.
The police closed off both ends of the street using 27 police cars (including 4 anti-terrorist vans) and mounted police Without warning the two ends converged upon the demo. Horses from one end and batong weilding anti-terrorist police from the other.
Three young women; 18, 16 and one under the age of 16 were hospitalised Many others were beaten but out of fear have not sought medical care. In addition, many women were "frisked" by male policemen (unlawful according to Swedish law) and violated in the process.
A number of women have brought charges against the police for assault. There are even rumours that certain policemen have brought charges against their own because of the excesive use of force.
The issue was covered in the national press and in Parliament. The police have begun an internal inquiry.
On Saturday the 15th of March a demonstration against police violence was held. Approximatly 500 anarcha-feminists, anarchists and libertarian sympathisers paricipated in the march to the newly opened police station on the island of Södermalm. This is a very good turn-out for a Swedish anarchist demonstration - especially with the short notice. This demonstration has been a sort of unified rallying point for us.
Speeches were held at both the beginning and end of the demo and police presence was minimal. No permission had been applied for but the police granted it anyway! It is worth noting that the majority of the police escort were women. The resignation of the commander in charge of the attack on the anarcha-feminist demonstration was demanded.
The international protest day against police violence was mentioned in both the demo flyer and a speech. It also appeared in full in Swedens largest daily newspaper's sunday edition, Dagens Nyheter. Support from anarchists in Geneva, Switzerland was especially mentioned!