Scandinavia’s largest Pride parade plans as usual – VG
In Stockholm and Copenhagen, they plan for full-scale Pride events. In the beginning, the countries are closely following the mass shooting in Oslo.
– What has happened in Oslo is terrible, and we are sad and angry that it is happening in a place that is so close to us, says leader of Stockholm Pride, Fredrik Saweståhl, to VG.
In Stockholm, Scandinavia’s largest Pride parade is planned, which kicks off on 6 August and gathers around 50,000 participants and half a million spectators.
Despite the mass shooting in Oslo, in which two people were killed and 21 injured, Saweståhl feels confident of being able to carry out a full-scale parade.
– We have extensive experience with security work and cooperation with the police about it. We trust their assessments and that we can implement, says Saweståhl who points out that he can not go into detail on security measures.
No additional threat
Pride in Oslo was known to be canceled after the mass shooting due to the security situation, as was the marking in Oslo and a number of other places.
– We do not see that the incident in Oslo has affected us in such a way that we have to change our plans. It is nothing, like anything, an extra threat to us right now, says Saweståhl.
The police in Stockholm inform VG that they have not made any changes in the planning of Pride in Stockholm after the Oslo shooting.
– But we follow the development all the time, as we always do in planned police actions, and can make changes if we deem it necessary, says press spokesperson Per Fahlström for the Stockholm region.
Violent Islamism and right-wing extremism
The Swedish security police (Säpo) tell VG that the terrorist threat continues to be at level three – on a scale of five. The level involves that “a terrorist attack can happen”.
– The main threat of an assassination attempt during the year is estimated to come from violent Islamist and right-wing extremist-motivated terrorism, says press secretary Gabriel Wernstedt in Säpo and adds:
– Most of those who have carried out attacks in recent years have handled alone and were on the fringes of extremist circles.
They will not comment on any goal or motive, or what operational measures they are working on so as not to “reveal their methods and thereby risk assignments.”
In Denmark, too, Copenhagen Pride has not tightened the level of security under Pride, which is scheduled to be held in August.
Lars Henriksen from the Pride committee in Copenhagen says that the regulars have meetings with the police to be able to ensure people’s safety during the events.
– So far we have not made any tightening because the police have not recommended it yet. The police assess the security situation along the way and update us, says Henriksen.
He says they have an ongoing dialogue with the police to ensure that the parade and other Pride events go smoothly.
Denmark: Serious terrorist threat
Police Inspector Peter Dahl, who is head of emergency preparedness in the Copenhagen police, tells VG that they are aware of the incident in Oslo ahead of the city’s Pride event in August.
– Together with PET, we follow developments closely, both in general and in relation to Pride, we continuously adapt our efforts based on the current threat assessment, Dahl says to VG and refers to the police intelligence service (PET).
Nor will PET comment on the specific threat assessments associated with Pride, referring to one Statement in connection with the shooting in Oslo where they state that the terrorist threat against Denmark is still described as serious.
The terrorist threat against Denmark from militant Islamism has also been set at a serious level, level four out of five, according to a assessment from March.
This means that it is a recognized threat, and that there is capacity, intention and planning.
– The most likely militant Islamist attack in Denmark is an attack carried out by a solo terrorist or a small group with easily accessible means, such as firearms or homemade bombs, PET informs VG.