During the Easter weekend, one of the worst riots in modern times took place after riots in Linköping and Norrköping during Maundy Thursday. Commanding officer Peter Karlsson was responsible for managing the general gathering in Örebro. When questioned about his location during the operation, he stated that he was connected on the phone from his home in Sälen. Patrik Danielsson, national chief protection officer at the Police Association, criticized Karlsson’s absence, stating that it was not appropriate for a commanding officer to be remote during such a large event. In Sveaparken in Örebro, a police officer criticized the decision to take in Rasmus Paludan during a red security situation, where the police are exposed to violence from a crowd. Karlsson defends his decision to be remote, stating that the operational management is handled by the operations manager and the police operations management on site. However, some anonymous police officers felt that Karlsson’s choice to stay in his mountain home delayed communication and hindered the understanding of the situation on the ground.
After riots in Linköping and Norrköping during Maundy Thursday, the Easter weekend continued with one of the worst riots in modern times. The person most responsible for managing the general gathering in Örebro was the commanding officer Peter Karlsson.
During the Örebro operation, where did you sit?
– In Dalarna.
In the police station?
– Well, I was sitting at home and was connected on the phone.
We have information that you were in the mountains?
– Yes. I have an apartment up in Sälen.
See the entire series: “Easter Coup Run”
“Should sit with the staff”
Patrik Danielsson, national chief protection officer at the Police Association, does not think it is appropriate to have a commanding officer remotely at such a large event where there is a fear of disorder.
– You should sit together with your staff. If he couldn’t be there, they should have changed the commanding officer.
Peter Karlsson, on the other hand, thinks that his physical presence was not absolutely necessary as the deputy commander was on site later in the evening, while he states that he himself was responsible for contact with the media.
– The operational management is managed by the operations manager at the operations center and the police operations management on site, not by the commanding officer, he says.
“Better to be closer to staff”
In Sveaparken in Örebro, the police declared a red situation, the most serious security situation where the police are exposed to violence from a crowd. A police officer who took part in the operation in Sveaparken during the riot is critical of the fact that the commanding officer was not there in such a sensitive situation and that they were given directives to take in Rasmus Paludan despite the situation.
– Then I hear on the radio that people question whether the management has the same picture of the situation as us in the park.
The policeman felt that there was a gap regarding the situational picture from those who were on the spot compared to the directives from the management. But Peter Karlsson emphasizes that the communication with the rest of the command management functioned well.
How do you see the decision today? That you were in your home in the mountains?
– Of course, with hindsight, it might have been better to be closer to the staff. For the decisions it doesn’t matter, but for the staff.
Several decisions were delegated, but not the decision to dissolve the assembly. That decision could only be taken by Peter Karlsson.
– I was updated on the development of events, he underlines.
The police, who wish to remain anonymous, felt that the commander’s choice to stay in his mountain home delayed communication.
– Can you have the right picture of the situation when you are sitting in Sälen? It felt like a fucking betrayal. When you knew that there were such great risks of injury.