The popular reggae festival Öland Roots takes place on the idyllic island of Öland in Sweden, near the small town of Kalmar, where the police are zealous opponents of drugs. This leads to the festival being besieged by police, both in uniform and civilian clothes, who are looking for drugs. Police trainees have also been trained at the festival in previous years.
In Sweden, which has gone further than many other countries in the fight against drugs, it is even forbidden to consume drugs. Since six months in prison is the maximum sentence for consumption, the police can demand urine or blood samples under duress. There is no need for physical evidence to initiate the process; The police can claim red eyes, nervousness and slurred speech to force a urine sample.
This year, the festival took place between July 10-14. Despite the fact that the event was much smaller than in previous years, the police did not skimp on resources. Many festival-goers experienced an unpleasant atmosphere with police officers walking around looking at everyone and arbitrarily asking questions about drugs. Families with children were scared. Some had their tents invaded by aggressive police who found nothing. Several who smoked a joint had their festival ruined.
Now the festival management is fed up. Since a dialogue with the police does not change anything, an email has gone out to this year’s visitors. They are asking for stories and experiences regarding the police’s excessive hunt for drugs. Because it is not possible to run a festival when it is like this! With the material, they will file a complaint with the Parliamentary Ombudsman.
Other festivals with music that does not suit the establishment have also long been plagued by too high a police presence. With negative attention in the media and unreasonable demands from the police, festivals die. A festival that has died but fortunately resurrected is Uppsala Reggae Festival. One year it got so bad that the internationally known artist Alborosie released the song “Operation Uppsala“. This year, the police in neighboring Norway had surveillance at the Midnight Sun Festival in the northern parts of the country, where a few seizures were made and then sharply criticized in the media. In Sweden, there is usually silence in the media with this alternative angle, but now Swedish Radio and the local newspaper Barometern have reported on the dissatisfaction.
Now activists in Sweden have started a campaign called “Dance without police!” In addition to giving advice and flyers about rights, they have gathered lawyers who pro bono help festival-goers live in chat.
Yes, cannabis and other illegal drugs are banned in Sweden, but how important is it really? The police’s many defenders say that it is just a matter of stopping drugs! But we are talking about a country that is also experiencing one of the bloodiest and deadliest gangster wars in Europe. But murder and other crimes such as rape are not as easily solved. The police need simple points to appease the politicians and not appear ineffective.
Swedish police are addicted to drugs!