After Sunday's grandstand scandal at Tele2 Arena, the violence within Swedish fan culture has been debated. Swedish Football Association chairman Fredrik Reinfeldt calls it "a well-prepared action" from supporters with a "significant capital of violence" that must be identified and punished.
Last week, the verdict was handed down after the violence at the Stockholm derby between AIK and Hammarby in August 2022 – when a full fight broke out in the stands at Friends Arena.
"I shout red mode twice on the radio but there is no reinforcement," says a security guard who testifies to the chaotic scenes in interrogation.
Six men between the ages of 20 and 30 are convicted of violent rioting.
"Punching and dealing blows"
One of them, a 20-year-old man, is described by the district court as "very active" in the violence. According to the court, he is seen "purposefully running in the stands" and how he is then "aggressive, punching and throwing several punches and kicks to the other side".
The district court continues: "After the smoke settled after Bengal fires, XX remains at the scene, now with a belt wrapped around one hand."
The 20-year-old was also convicted of serious narcotics offences, breaches of the Public Order Act and of violating his access ban on sports events on two occasions. The sentence was imprisonment for four years and eight months.
The other five men received suspended sentences combined with community service or daily fines. One defendant was acquitted.
Audience host: "My mouth was filled with blood"
According to prosecutor Marie Bastin, more charges are expected after the uproar in August last year.
"There are significantly more suspects. We will prosecute a couple more clusters of similar magnitude," she said.
In interrogations, security guards and audience hosts describe how chairs and Bengalis flew through the air. An audience attendant was hit by a flying chair seat and had to stitch eight stitches.
"I just felt it start to fill with blood and I had to wipe away from my eyes, my mouth filled with blood," the audience host said in questioning.