Huge police presence for Israel tennis match

[phasio]

Swedish police are to mobilize up to 1,000 officers in Malmö next weekend in a bid to guarantee the safety of players and functionaries during a Davis Cup match between Sweden and Israel.

Local politicians cited security concerns when ruling last week that the match at the 4,000 capacity Baltiska Hallen arena should be played behind closed doors. The match will be played from March 6th to 8th.

The Malmö-based 'Stop the match' network is expecting 8,000 to 12,000 people to gather for a major demonstration on March 7th as part of a protest against Israel's recent war in Gaza.

But police are primarily concerned about the participation of groups from the extreme left wing autonomist movement.

"They have stated that they want to stop the Davis Cup match at any cost," said Malmö police chief Håkan Jarborg Eriksson.

Local police have requested back-up from Stockholm and five other counties in a bid to guard the area near the arena and surrounding neighbourhoods. Police will also provide protection for Swedish and Israeli players and functionaries both at their hotels and while travelling to and from the arena.

Police in Malmö are expecting a foretaste of possible disturbances this Saturday, when autonomist groups plan to March between the city's two police stations in protest against recent revelations highlighting instances of xenophobia and racism in the regional Skåne police force.

"That could have an effect on events during Davis Cup week," said Jarborg Eriksson.

The Israeli team is set to arrive in Malmö and will be accompanied by two Israeli bodyguards. Swedish police authorities have turned down a request from Israel for the bodyguards be allowed to carry handguns

this could get ugly

[RoyB]

Great, bodyguards without handguns.

[Invisigoth]

Tonfa to the face usually works great too.

[Indiana Jones]

Tonfa to the face usually works great too.
Well, no.
This is not police work, and (even violent) demonstrators are of the least concern.

[spider1]

Well its good because its a very left and pro arab country so our players can be in big risk

[Leaper]

"Very left and pro arab country" Yeah right...

What do you mean by your intire post spider1? You mean that it's a good thing that "it's" will mobilize 1.000 police officers? Please explain

[spider1]

I mean that its good that our players will be secure in a country that many there dont like israel and if you will do a poll and you will ask who you can blame on the conflict in gaza at least 70% will say israel

[Sufficient]

There will be more than just two Israeli security guards. Who are these guys anyway? Government employees, private companies? Freaking Mossad? I am sure the Israelis are monitoring the situation and know that there will be 10,000+ demonstrators and will adapt to it. The Israelis want to arm two of them, but so far the police are not willing to give them permission because if something happens the police want to be in control of the situation.

Since I live here and know the mentality of the people, I think that it might be enough with warning shots from an Israeli guard two create a lynch mob, and then people will get seriously hurt. It's simply not worth it for a tennis match. Having foreign armed guards in Sweden is provoking enough, seeing them actually using them would make Swedes/immigrant ****s bricks and go mental. However it might be decided from "higher up" (the politicians) that the Israelis can be armed and then the police have to adapt to that.

By the way, here is the "Stop the match" network's flyer. Anyone know what the Arabic text says?

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/3475/demo7mars.jpg

Being somewhat pro-Israeli this really makes me ashamed of Sweden. Sorry guys, we are not all hating you :-(

[Bia]

When life has degenerated to the point one cant go anywhere without half the planet wanting to kill you... it's time to wake the fukc up and make some changes.

IMO

[1911-a1]

When life has degenerated to the point one cant go anywhere without half the planet wanting to kill you... it's time to wake the fukc up and make some changes.

IMO

Or kill the haters.
p-)

Seriously though, I hope everything goes well and nothing happens to them.

[Kaplanr]

When life has degenerated to the point one cant go anywhere without half the planet wanting to kill you... it's time to wake the fukc up and make some changes.

IMO

So if the majority decide the earth is flat, that makes it so? Personally I think the Davis Cup officials should have mioved the match to a "neutral" venue outside of Sweden. If the Swedes can't provide a safe and competitive venue, then they should lose the right to host the match.

[Leaper]

I mean that its good that our players will be secure in a country that many there dont like israel and if you will do a poll and you will ask who you can blame on the conflict in gaza at least 70% will say israel

There was a poll on a Swedish news papers website, and I think 90% thought the entire conflict was on Israel. I'm almost completely pro-Israeli, and most of the people I know is too. I hope the police set fot to ass and really beat the **** out of the violent lefties and the violent pro-arabs

Israel STRONG!!!111

[Parx400]

When life has degenerated to the point one cant go anywhere without half the planet wanting to kill you... it's time to wake the fukc up and make some changes.

IMO

More than half of the world is an unwashed mob of illogical passion and pure faggotry. I dont give a damn what they think.

[Sufficient]

Seriously though, I hope everything goes well and nothing happens to them.

They will be fine. They will be protected by a huge sealed off area (which will make a lot of people angry, but whatever). I am sure the Swedish police will be willing to use a lot of violence if necessary to not allow anyone come near the Israelis. It would create a very embarassing situation for the police. And if someone slips through the Israelis can handle it themself with their guards. Or by using their tennis rackets as bats :)

However... the city will get slightly trashed again as during European Social Forum in September 2008. Like this:
http://w2.sydsvenskan.se/bildspel/asjstreet/

[Indiana Jones]

When life has degenerated to the point one cant go anywhere without half the planet wanting to kill you... it's time to wake the fukc up and make some changes.

Such as ?
And whatever reservations one might level against the Israeli government, their tennis players are hardly the proper addressee and should be left in peace.
Regards,
IJ.

[Elemental666]

The Malmö-based 'Stop the match' network is expecting 8,000 to 12,000 people to gather for a major demonstration on March 7th as part of a protest against Israel's recent war in Gaza.
Not much to do in Sweden these days, eh.

I honestly feel sorry for the athletes of both countries that will have to deal with this crap.

[1911-a1]

Not much to do in Sweden these days, eh.

I honestly feel sorry for the athletes of both countries that will have to deal with this crap.

Not much to do when you're an angry juice hater and the weather is bad. Btw, isn't that your birthday? You should take this very personally.

[Sufficient]

Not much to do in Sweden these days, eh.

Three schools with 780 students will have to close temporarily due to the established safety zone. Guess what a lot of the kids will be doing instead?

By the way, this is only the second time in Sweden a tennis match gets this political. Last time was back in 1968 when Rhodesia came for a quick visit. Wasn't very popular among the leftists and of course there has been comparisons with that event.

The Rhodesia game was stopped which was considered a victory for the demonstrators. I guess they will try to do the same this time.

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/8691/bastad1968380at3.jpg

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/1427/bstadartikel349593bix0.jpg

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/248/tennisarbetarenwv4.jpg

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/5843/gkbstadkravall21968bv4.jpg
http://img11.imageshack.us/img1/142/bstadartikel349593bix0.jpg

[eugenlitwin]

Well its good because its a very left and pro arab country so our players can be in big risk

its a bullS##t , sweden never was "pro-arab" country and never´ll be...

[Leaper]

That reminds me of the Gothenburg riots in '01

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPnQUcRqepQ

[Sufficient]

Crazy video Leaper, especially when they get the police to flee at 1:25. Don't see that very often in Sweden. :|

The police will probably use the same tactic as during ESF in September 2008, that is to be "non-provoking". In Gothenburg they did exactly the opposite which can be seen in the video. Demonstrators with bullet wounds and a trashed city really did a lot to change the way the Swedish police handles these situations.

[Leaper]

I think that was in the beginning of the riot, when there were too few Police officers in city, before they called in several thousands more from all around the country. But you never know! Might have been seconds before they shot that guy

[eugenlitwin]

http://offensiv.socialisterna.org/sv/839/kampanj/3937/?tpl=118
stop the match! i hope that it´d be a peaceful action

[Mr.Flint]

http://offensiv.socialisterna.org/sv/839/kampanj/3937/?tpl=118
stop the match! i hope that it´d be a peaceful action
Are you seriously supporting that massive retardation?

[Elemental666]

http://offensiv.socialisterna.org/sv/839/kampanj/3937/?tpl=118
stop the match! i hope that it´d be a peaceful action

If you could explain in simple words how the athletes are to blame to whatever disagreements people may have with the Israeli government actions, that would be just super.

Try not to say anything stupid.

[eugenlitwin]

Are you seriously supporting that massive retardation?

not me, but i guess a lot of people will show support for Palestine in Malmö

[phasio]

Road crews in Malmö have succeeded in removing piles of paving stones which police said would stop them from providing security for Sweden’s upcoming Davis Cup tennis match against Israel in Malmö.

“I’ve been out there this morning and am satisfied with what I’ve seen. The stones are more or less gone and during the day some other things which have concerned me will also be taken away,” said Skåne police safety representative Kaj Svensson to the TT news agency.

According to the city’s roads department, the office had planned to remove the stones before police voiced concerns to the press on Wednesday, but wanted to allow work on the site to continue as long as possible before taking the stones away.

The Dagens Nyheter (DN) newspaper reported on Thursday that police would refuse to provide security for the tennis match against if the city didn’t remove the stones from near the arena.

Hundreds of police officers have been called to help maintain order during the match, which is being played behind closed doors due to security concerns.

Authorities expect roughly 10,000 demonstrators to fill the streets of Malmö near the Baltiska Hallen arena.

“There is a significant risk for violent disruptions in Malmö from Friday to Sunday,” police commander Håkan Jarborg Eriksson told the Dagens Nyheter (DN) newspaper.

Outside the venue, however, several large piles of paving stones sit waiting to be placed in a nearby road construction site, causing concern for officers’ safety.

“The piles of stones which are now sitting outside Baltiska Hallen are ammunition for some of the activists,” Svensson told the Polistidningen newspaper earlier in the week, according to DN.

“My demand is unconditional. The stones must be gone by today, Thursday, at the latest. Otherwise I’m going issue a stop due to safety concerns and then there won’t be a single police officer on the scene.”

Svensson said that the city had already managed to remove 170 truckloads of broken asphalt from the same construction site, but that he couldn't "risk the lives of his colleagues" and let the pavings stones remain.

Ever since Israel's offensive in Gaza erupted last December, a "Stop the Match" campaign has been underway in Sweden calling for a boycott of the Davis Cup match as a way to protest Israel’s actions.

Police say they’ve had a healthy dialogue with "Stop the Match" activists, who expect 10,000 supporters to gather on Saturday for what they characterize as a “peaceful rally”.

But authorities remain concerned that up to 1,000 other groups, some of which have indicated they plan to take a more hard line stance, may cause trouble.

While police plan on taking a cautious, non-confrontational approach, they are ready for action if necessary.

“If a vehicle with players or the Baltiska Hallen were to be attacked, we’d naturally use full force,” Jarborg Eriksson told DN.
http://www.thelocal.se/17992/20090305/

I hope the police have control over all of this, and that no other sport will have to suffer this crap in the future

[Sufficient]

not me, but i guess a lot of people will show support for Palestine in Malmö

I read that there will be Swedish right-wing extremists (read: nazis) participating in the demonstrations to show their support for Palestine as well. This have of course enraged the left-wingers that have organized the main "Stop the match" demonstration, and left-wing extremists will for sure attack them if they show themself openly. I guess there is not much love between the nazis and Arabs either, perhaps unless if their hatred towards the Jews unite them?

Sure makes for a nice cocktail in this already troubled Swedish city. Extremists from both sides that will try to demonstrate together, Arabs that hate Israel and doesn't respect the police, armed(?) Israelis, the biggest ever police gathering in this part of Sweden and expected riots and vandalizing. And all this for a tennis match?

[Mr.Flint]

I read that there will be Swedish right-wing extremists (read: nazis) participating in the demonstrations to show their support for Palestine as well. This have of course enraged the left-wingers that have organized the main "Stop the match" demonstration, and left-wing extremists will for sure attack them if they show themself openly. I guess there is not much love between the nazis and Arabs either, perhaps unless if their hatred towards the Jews unite them?

Didnt stop the local Nazis from participating in "Peace March" and the local Arabs and Peaceniks, accepted them not just with open arms, but repeated their slogans, and gestures...

[1911-a1]

The cops have contracted a company that have set up "huge fences" around the area. The fences have been up for a few days or so. I have not seen them or anything, but I was told about it.

[RoyB]

Geez, they really think its gonna be that bad? :|
Well, safety first.

[jaegermeistr]

Map
http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/445/85463576.jpg

The red marked line shows the police defence line

and

Areal view
http://tinyurl.com/bzz7nl

Sorry if repost.

[teoretikern]

I know exactly what will happen if violent riots emerge: only one of the major news papers will behave correctly, and blame the rioters. Other media will (in american phrase "liberal", in swedish phrase "humanistic" spirit) blame the police, swedish authorities, some construction company that did not plan for riots, etc, etc... every one else, except the scumbags.


By the way, a good url about Israel: Myths & Facts Online
A Guide to the Arab-Israeli Conflict

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths/mftoc.html

[jaegermeistr]

The players has arrived to the arena and so far so good.
A minor attempt of breaking through the police line has been made but the attempt was brought down fairly easy, and one of the rioters has been taken to custody.

Dont know what kind of pictures you've seen in foreign media but Ive tried assemble as many pictures I can find on the most "common" news papers in Sweden.

http://www.dn.se/polopoly_fs/1.814844%21image/2916843055.jpg_gen/derivatives/article-landscape/2916843055.jpg

http://www.dn.se/polopoly_fs/1.814838%21image/2803791670.jpg_gen/derivatives/article-landscape/2803791670.jpg
http://www.dn.se/polopoly_fs/1.814794%21image/2146899251.jpg_gen/derivatives/article-landscape/2146899251.jpg
http://www.dn.se/polopoly_fs/1.814787%21image/3011532581.jpg_gen/derivatives/article-landscape/3011532581.jpg

http://gfx.aftonbladet-cdn.se/multimedia/dynamic/00872/israelmatch_872346l.jpg

http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00180/dc384_180942a.jpg
http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/stenbort384_181266a.jpg

http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00180/baltiskan_180947a.jpg

http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00180/storm384_180918a.jpg

http://hd.se/multimedia/dynamic/00287/BH_Malm_bor_dem_1_287796c.jpg

Police said that they would refuse to actually even go there if not the stones were to be removed.

Theese stones has been transported away from the area, but since there is alot of projects in the surroundings, there will be alot of pipes, wood, other stones to break up from the ground etc. ready for the lefties to use as weapons.

http://www.expressen.se/polopoly_fs/1.1488846%21slot100slotWide75ArticleFull/3447786819.jpg

http://media.jnytt.se/resources/news/2009-03-06115419-poliseriMalm%C3%B6.jpg
Group of police officers from Jönköping are now in malmö to assist.


This was everything I could find, hope it will give some further insight.

[jaegermeistr]

Nothing more happened today :-(.

There will most likely be alot of things going on tomorrow.

[RoyB]

Why the sad face?
Hopefully tomorrow will be as quite..

[jaegermeistr]

Why the sad face?
Hopefully tomorrow will be as quite..

9/10 swedes would like to see some criminals get beaten by the police, the other tenth is the one making trouble.

[jaegermeistr]

This is the place where they will gather before they march to the arena, think they will start at 12.00 local.

http://www.webbkameror.se/webbkameror/malmo/malmo_stortorget_1280.php

[Moledet]

1:1 so far. Two very close matches, Sweden could lead 2:0 with a crowd to push the players.

[jaegermeistr]

The best outcome for Sweden in the long run would be Israel winning. Thats what I hope for.

[Sufficient]

This is the place where they will gather before they march to the arena, think they will start at 11.00 local or something, in 17 min.

http://www.webbkameror.se/webbkameror/malmo/malmo_stortorget_1280.php

LOL

What a failure. Look at that, 11.16 GMT +1, one third of them appears to be police officers. The rest are just scattered around the square doing nothing.

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/4286/demov.jpg

I saw a poll in some newspaper where a simple question was asked; "Do you want to demonstrate against Israel?". More than 90 percent answered no.

For you non-Swedes I'd like to remind you that generally the journalists are very left-wing and politically correct. What they think (and what they want to achieve through their writing) and what common Swedes think usually have nothing to do with each other. I don't think the common Swede dislike Israel at all. Some things about the foreign policy and use of military might not be liked, but seeing as there is a general dislike against Arabs (even hate in some circles) its probably in Israel's favor anyway. Hopefully the rest of the evening will be as calm. Won't be much to write about for the journalists, but I say fvck those vultures.

Okay, starting to get better now, 11.27 GMT +1:

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/3173/demo2.jpg

[jaegermeistr]

I was wrong about the time when they will start marching, it will be 12.00 local.

Ive edited the post above ^^^

[jaegermeistr]

2000 demonstrators are marching now. Its estimaded 100+ of theese are AFA, and according to AFA there will be probably 500 more to come.

[jaegermeistr]

Gonna translate something ive taken from www.dn.se (http://www.dn.se) and www.sydsvenskan.se swedish newspaper.

- Now they are throwing paint bombs, firecrackers and rockets. Its about to get started now and its starting getting unpleasant to be here, says Sydsvenskans Christel Thunell, not far away from the Arena.

13: Paint bombs are being thrown at the surrounding stores.

13:12: Reports are comming in that 6-7 people have been throwing home made bombs at the dialogue police.


13:21: The train of protestors are at Pildammarna. The police is estimating that about 6000 people are now partisipating in the demonstration.
"- It feels like the whole city is out - everything from familys with babies to masked youth, says Sydsvenskans Christel Thunell.



13:53 - It seems like they are trying to storm the arena. The police are using horses and cars to push back. In the voilence one of the cars has had its tiers sliced and the car has been pushed away by the demonstrators.
The air is full of fire and smell of the bombs, you can always here the ongoing noise from the fire crackers, Says Kenan Habul, Sydsvenskans reporter at the scene.

13:59: A group of 200-300 demonstrators is throwing bottles, fire crackers, rockets and bombs against the police. The Protest organizers in yellow wests are trying to talk back the autonomous groups, but fails.

14:00 Police with drawn battons is closing in on the demonstrators, trying to surround them and force them back by cars and horses. Vehicles with sirens on are driving towards the demonstratos. Police is also standing by with police dogs.

http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo9_181099a.jpg

http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo8_181098a.jpg
http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo6_181097a.jpg
http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo7_181096a.jpg


Editing as fast as I can.

[Sufficient]

ID the green flag. Looks familiar, Hamas?

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/3657/1769593003.jpg

Babelfished article from Dagens Nyheter by the way:


Hooligans ruined the demonstration

While organizers yelled "come back" rushed a group of black-clad AFA supporters against closures around the Baltic hall as soon as demonstration train arrived. "Please, please come back. We are here to support the Palestinian people," cried the organizers. However, none of the hooligans were listening to the appeal.
At least 5000 protesters, including masked 100-150, came shortly before 14 o'clock until the Baltic hall. We would have been tågat from Stortorget in Malmö for the current manifestation against Davis Cup match between Sweden and Israel. On banners synthesis "Stop the blockade of Gaza" and "Boycott Israel".

But what would have been a peaceful demonstration was destroyed by the black-clad and masked hooligans who joined from Stortorget. After disrupting the demonstration, lit Bengal fires, shooting fireworks and thrown paint ran the black-clad hooligans against closures around the tennis hall.

A hooligan jumped up on a police car and kicked away blåljusen and then jump down, but the police intervened. The police chose to continue their passive attitude.

- Ten feet in front of me, I see a whole group of hooligans who break up cobblestones and take the away from police cars, reports the Dagens Nyheter's Ole Roth Borg in place.

An older gentleman was full furious when he saw what happened. "People are dying in Palestine and you stand and throw stones, dirty kids," cried he to them. "

Eventually the police had enough. At the 14-time gathered a hundred police with drawn batons to go to the counter-grip against AFA supporters. Behind the police waited four p.m. police buses and twelve horses with riders.

The demonstrators had been waiting in the drizzle and minus degrees to DECAMP against Baltic hall for more than an hour. When the train so sat in motion synthesis a large Palestinian flag at the front. Almost 100 masked AFA supporters, with up Palestinian scarves and sunglasses, went further back in a train at 13 o'clock is ten blocks. With the AFA supporters had a large banner with the text "It is we who decide."

The only thing that disturbed the train was also the masked "protesters" who threw firecrackers and periodically turned Bengal fires to spread an ill-smelling smoke over the streets. Some of the masked threw bags of paint to the house and the spectators, two Danish police buses were also green and white paint on it. The police chose to stay at the appropriate distance. Other participants did in an exemplary manner in train ring presented along streets filled with Saturday hoping ore islanders.

Antifascist Action was therefore join the train. Demonstration Management told the DN-11 at the time that it has had contact with the AFA, which then announced its own part in the train. Under the leadership of the demonstration, police have promised to keep control over that part of the demonstration. Something that police can not confirm that it promised when DN ask.

During a demonstration train was waiting for DECAMP told Green Per Gahrton. He had three messages:

To the Palestinians: We support your struggle for a separate state.

For Israel: We accepetrar not your occupation policies.

For the sports: We require that you follow your own sheer everyone to the same opportunity to practice sports.

After Gahrton spoke Dror Feiler, President of the Association Jews for Israeli-Palestinian peace. Feiler said: "We are demonstrating here today that the Swedish government will dare to take responsibility for their ideals."

Finally, said party leader Lars Ohly left to "everyone in Sweden to take responsibility for war crimes in Gaza is not passed over in silence. Some commentators in Sweden have been outraged that a tennis match played before empty stands, but it is pathetic that they are not outraged Israles Crime in Gaza. "

At 11.30-time was one of the organizers a microphone to calm the crowd: "The police are here to help us. Try to show your support back," was the message.

Several of the real demonstrators also concerned over what will happen with the masked AFA supporters on the train.

- They may be happy to come and show their support but we do not want to create trouble here, "says Fatimah Ghali who is on site with his mother.

- I do not like it, it's terrible, "says her mother Anwaar Al-Sharkawi.

Others are not so worried:

- We are here to show our support for Palestine and to demonstrate against Israeli occupation. We are here for our cause and can not control over other groups, "says Helene Alpfjord the Left Youth Lund

Behind the demonstration, carried out with the police state, is the Left Party in Malmö.

- We expect no problems with them as part of the demonstration board, "said Charley Nilsson, Information Officer at the police in Skåne. However, we know that there may others who want to interfere in the train and are looking to get up to trouble.

Friday's demonstrations were small and peaceful, and at night have all been peaceful. A late demonstration in conjunction with Women's Day on Sunday brought some noise but caused no problems as the police.

Speculation that detailed thousands of activists will today seek to Malmö to disrupt order and start the violence occurs in several media. The goal is said to be to stop the match. Police say, however, be prepared for all eventualities:

- For us it does not matter if the activists are from Sweden or any other country, we are ready, "said Charley Nilsson.

Clas Svahn

Ole Rothenborg

Astrid E Johansson

[jaegermeistr]

14:05 Police car is getting attacked with stones by masked people. One officer had enough of it, jumped out of the vehicle with drawn weapon. An older commander had to calm him down and holster his weapon.

http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo12_181102a.jpg
http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo11_181101a.jpg

[Snoshi]

ID the green flag. Looks familiar, Hamas?

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/3657/1769593003.jpg

Babelfished article from Dagens Nyheter by the way:

Its a Hamas flag
http://images.google.com/images?q=hamas%20flag&sourceid=navclient-ff&rlz=1B3GGGL_svFI238FI238&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi

[jaegermeistr]

http://gfx.aftonbladet-cdn.se/multimedia/dynamic/00873/attack_873169l.jpg

[Snoshi]

^^ Typical behaviour from a mixed lefty-arab crowd..

[RoyB]

Sounds like some tough police work is needed over there, hopefully it won't escalate anymore, but if it is, I hope the police will kick some of those punks ass.

[Snoshi]

I love how they all have "Boycott Israel" flags, but i can bet that they all somehow use Israeli products or inventions, like Intel chips etc... Pathetic.

[jaegermeistr]

14:15 Police sources reporting having the siruation under control. Police confirms that a group of demonstrators have attacked them. A number of people has been arrested.
The demonstration is continuing with speech and music atm. Organizers are calling for peace. The police have had alot of assistance from the organizers guards and assess their help, says police informer Marina Rölic

http://www.expressen.se/polopoly_fs/1.1490152%21slot100slotWide75ArticleFull/3447786819.jpg

[Ozzy[NO]]

This is a damn shame for the Swedish nation. They are punishing a tennisplayer for the actions of a whole nation. I assume the tennisplayer is Jewish, so I just have to ask, would this have happened if the player was an Israeli Arab?

[Snoshi]

http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo3_181092a.jpg
LOL!!! Serisouly..

[Ozzy[NO]]

http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo3_181092a.jpg
LOL!!! Serisouly..

I never thought of these demonstrators as the intellectual elite :)
(and my views are confirmed on a regular basis)

[Sufficient]

;3972614']This is a damn shame for the Swedish nation. They are punishing a tennisplayer for the actions of a whole nation. I assume the tennisplayer is Jewish, so I just have to ask, would this have happened if the player was an Israeli Arab?

There has not been a single word about "Jews" in media or from the organizers. Its all about "representatives of the state Israel". Using the word "Jew" negatively in this context would be punishable (Brottsbalken 16 kap 8 §) with a fine or up to two years of prison.

[jaegermeistr]

**** it was intense there for a while, wonder how the situation is now.

[Ozzy[NO]]

There has not been a single word about "Jews" in media or from the organizers. Its all about "representatives of the state Israel". Using the word "Jew" negatively in this context would be punishable (Brottsbalken 16 kap 8 §) with a fine or up to two years of prison.

Of course they can't say it out loud, but do you honestly think there would be this much trouble if the guy was an Israeli Arab?

[jaegermeistr]

;3972629']Of course they can't say it out loud, but do you honestly think there would be this much trouble if the guy was an Israeli Arab?

Probably not, they hate jews, simple as that.

[Sufficient]

;3972629']Of course they can't say it out loud, but do you honestly think there would be this much trouble if the guy was an Israeli Arab?

Its a team consisting of about fifty Israelis as far as I know. I have no idea what God they believe in or if they call themselves Jews or not. And I don't think anyone else knows either since media hasn't written about it. Its simply a non-issue. I think "Israel" is enough for some people to go ape****.

[jaegermeistr]

14:30 According to police there is no reports of injuries in connection to the brawls at the arena. Its quiet atm. Police are not able to give out information about the detained. The match is still going on as planed, says police press spokesman Lars-Håkan Lindholm.

http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo102_181108a.jpg

afk shower.

[jaegermeistr]

pics

http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo20__181114a.jpg
http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo19_181113a.jpg

http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo21_181115a.jpg
http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo18_181111a.jpg
http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo14_181109a.jpg
http://www.dn.se/polopoly_fs/1.815649%21image/4124396177.JPG_gen/derivatives/article-landscape/4124396177.JPG
http://www.dn.se/polopoly_fs/1.815648%21image/1473504456.JPG_gen/derivatives/article-landscape/1473504456.JPG
http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo25_181119a.jpg
http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo24_181118a.jpg
http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo23_181117a.jpg
http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo22_181116a.jpg



Edit: Only 3 arrested now.


14:45 Civil-dressed police officers are stopping people who have been running between the arena and baltiska hallen. The police is interrogating them at the scene, reports Sydsvenskans Kenan Habul.

[1911-a1]

;3972614']This is a damn shame for the Swedish nation. They are punishing a tennisplayer for the actions of a whole nation. I assume the tennisplayer is Jewish, so I just have to ask, would this have happened if the player was an Israeli Arab?

It is possible that it is an Arab, but the media only says "Israeli", not "Jewish", and that is why the leftists and islamic extremists go crazy. I mean, we can't allow an ISRAELI to play some tennis, can we?

Anyway, I'm glad things look somewhat okay...

edit: What 'groups' are involved?
-Leftists
-Islamic extremists
-Nazis

Who else? Weird combination...

[Snoshi]

http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo24_181118a.jpg
great.. More support for terrorists!

Btw i love the poster..

"Support the socialist struggle in Palestine. Long live the PLFP"

[Sufficient]

http://sdsmedia.sydsvenskan.se/archive/00181/demo24_181118a.jpg

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/5702/tiananmentankman.jpg

[jaegermeistr]

edit: What 'groups' are involved?
-Leftists
-Islamic extremists
-Nazis

Who else? Weird combination...

Thats about all i think.

[Moledet]

Is it just me or one of our couples players is really really fat?

EDITED: But wow what a serve.

[Sufficient]

Is it just me or one of our couples players is really really fat?

EDITED: But wow what a serve.

What do they say on Israeli TV about all this crap around the match? It should be obvious for starters that there is a lack of crowd watching the match.

[Moledet]

What do they say on Israeli TV about all this crap around the match? It should be obvious for starters that there is a lack of crowd watching the match.
Nothing, no one really cares.
The match is also boring, a few minutes ago the commentators were talking about watching football on HD and that it is so much better.

[jaegermeistr]

15.30. Police and demonstrators are now leaving the area. Just a few people are still there.

Hmm! Wonder what will happen tomorrow.
Anyone got some foreign media coverage on this? link please!

[Superking]

I feel ashamed of my city when I see this crap....on the other hand I did just install a new trigger in my 1337 .177cal sniper loadout and I need some targets to sight in my scope....

[jaegermeistr]

Some not so dramatic footage
http://tinyurl.com/bsmloo

[jaegermeistr]

16.10.

The police stated that some 80 demonstrators at the junction at John Ericssons street and Cronquists street level with Dalaplan, had been surrounded and detained. Around 20 of them were released after a while. The rest of the demonstrators will have to stay untill the police has gone through a selection where they will compare pictures from the site and the detained.



16.35. According to Sydsvenskans reporter on sight, 91 people are now being detained by police at Dalaplan.

[Sufficient]

Nothing, no one really cares.

Really? No one "really cares" in Israel about this? Somehow I doubt that. Its one thing if you guys choose to ignore it because you are so used to everyone hating you and there is probably some self-censoring taking place too, but surely you are not unaware of what is happening. Besides, this happening in Sweden should be newsworthy. Israeli flags being burned in, say, Pakistan is one thing but in Sweden?

I'm with Superking on this one. I am too ashamed of what is happening. But just pretending that it doesn't happen sounds too ignorant to be true.

[Moledet]

There's a news article about it if that's what you mean.
It's not Scandinavia here, there are more interesting news than this and in 2-3 hours there will be even more interesting news like always.

[RoyB]

No one pretending. I'm sure there are reports about it somewhere, but its just not news.

[tanks_alot]

Really? No one "really cares" in Israel about this? Somehow I doubt that. Its one thing if you guys choose to ignore it because you are so used to everyone hating you and there is probably some self-censoring taking place too, but surely you are not unaware of what is happening. Besides, this happening in Sweden should be newsworthy. Israeli flags being burned in, say, Pakistan is one thing but in Sweden?

I'm with Superking on this one. I am too ashamed of what is happening. But just pretending that it doesn't happen sounds too ignorant to be true.

No one's pretending, it's being reported here, just not as front page news. this might be big news in Sweden, but in Israel we live with daily concerens a bit more serious than this, so there is no way that something as minor as that will make big waves. maybe if it was the soccer national team, but tennis just isn't very popular here. also this might shock you, but Israeli flags burning in Pakistan are not really news material here. it's like reporting that the earth is round. pointless.

Things like Shahar Peer being denied entery to the Dubai tournment, Israeli scientists lecturing to British students in London but left wingers trying to ban it, or what's going on in Sweden now etc' are being adressed here. just don't expect us to be shocked, or put it on the front page news. we simply have bigger fish to fry.

[Sufficient]

You guys make it easy for yourself by playing the "we have worse things to worry about". Who cares if there are a dozen riots around the world just now, or whatever daily concerns you have in your country. That's not even relevant in this context.

What I wondered was what the Israeli match commentators said. How is it not relevant information for the listeners that the match is played with empty seats, and that there are freaking riots outside? I didn't ask for an analysis about the situation in your country, I wondered what the commentators had to say about it. As easy as that.

By the way, this is not the top news in Sweden either. Far from it, except for local media in the town where it happened obviously.

[Moledet]

The commentators didn't say anything about riots, they did say why there are so many empty seats. It isn't relevant because it has zero to do with sport and someone watching tennis doesn't care about it, he only cares about watching tennis.

[loganinkosovo]

Hell, that twelve thousand looks more like 200. They are damned near outnumbered by the camera people!

What a bunch of Buttmunchers......


http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=2bb_1236435269


Totally pathetic, useless, twits.

Should have turned the dogs loose on them.

[Moledet]

So it's 2:2, down to the last game.

[Ren987]

Israel won! Thanks to the swedish people for the nice welcome p-)

[Ren987]

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/3130/610xa.jpg (http://img156.imageshack.us/my.php?image=610xa.jpg)

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh211/kyfran84/isws78.jpg

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh211/kyfran84/isws47.jpg

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/2392/610xetv.jpg (http://img26.imageshack.us/my.php?image=610xetv.jpg)
(http://img156.imageshack.us/my.php?image=610xa.jpg)

[Elemental666]

Great job, well done. woot

Not much of a Tennis fan, but this is awesome.

[jaegermeistr]

Israel win = Arab loss = Swedes happy :D

[hsh2]

Hell, that twelve thousand looks more like 200. They are damned near outnumbered by the camera people!

What a bunch of Buttmunchers......


http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=2bb_1236435269


Totally pathetic, useless, twits.

Should have turned the dogs loose on them.

roflrofl

The best scene was at the 4:45 mark. Probably watched too many Michael Dudikoff films in his youthrofl

[Sufficient]

No one pretending. I'm sure there are reports about it somewhere, but its just not news.

FFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUU... and here comes the Simon Wiesenthal Center crowd to label Sweden and all Swedes as anti-semites. :roll: I love how they try to make a point about this being about Jews. Yeah... okay. Got to love all the factual errors as well. But whatever.


Sweden's anti-Israel apartheid policy is about more than sport

Neutral Sweden's mixed World War II legacy is still debated by historians. On the one hand it supplied Nazi Germany with iron ore and ball bearings and allowed the Wehrmacht to use the Swedish railway system to transport soldiers. On the other hand, spurred on by the Danes, it accepted Danish Jews marked for mass murder by the Nazis. Ultimately, the good name of Sweden was redeemed by the unparalleled heroics of one of its own - Raoul Wallenberg, who, using the cover of a Swedish diplomat, helped save tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews destined for Auschwitz, only to disappear into the Soviet Gulag. For decades, no Swedish government had the courage to demand his return from the jaws of the neighboring Russian bear.

While this Swede will forever be revered by the Jewish nation, it is brutally clear in 2009 that Jews and especially those uppity ones from Israel are of little concern to Swedish authorities, as their policies become more reminiscent of apartheid South Africa or Berlin in the 1930s than a 21st-century Scandinavian democracy.

INTERNATIONAL SPORTS strive to be free of politics and prejudice. But here they provide real-time proof of the poisoning of Swedish public life by biases that have echoes in Nazi Europe's anti-Semitism. In Sweden's third largest city, Malmo, where a virulently anti-Israel Muslim community makes up a significant percentage of the 250,000 population, the City Council voted five to four to hold the scheduled Davis Cup match between Israel and Sweden in an empty stadium, behind closed doors.

The losers are tennis players and fans of every nationality. The winners are the "Stop the Match" campaign which prevailed on the council's Socialist-Left majority to quarantine Israelis and Jews behind an apartheid police cordon to protest Israel's actions in the recent Gaza war.

The Malmo travesty comes on the heels of a huge international outcry after Dubai barred Shahar Pe'er from the Barclay Dubai Tennis Tournament in the UAE. Dubbed the apartheid tennis tournament, and threatened with having the games withdrawn from it, Dubai was forced to issue a visa for Andy Ram.

That controversy has had zero impact in Sweden however, as authorities announced that an Israeli tae kwondo delegation, consisting of 45 athletes and five coaches, en route to Trelleborg for the Swedish championship, was told to stay home due to Muslim threats. Not even tae kwondo - Korean for "the art of kicking and punching" - can provide protection from Sweden's supine complicity in leading today's anti-Israel bullies.

Spare us the alleged "public safety" nonsense. The same 7,000 anti-Israel demonstrators in downtown Malmo would have chanted the same slogans and the few dozen who attacked the police vans for the benefit of media coverage would have tossed the same projectiles had the stadium been packed with tennis fans on Saturday.

No the security card was invoked not to protect but to stigmatize Israeli athletes as pariahs.

None of this is about sports. It's about Jews.

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/7346/satellite.jpg
Masked anti-Israel protestors clash with police outside
the Baltic Arena in Malmo, Sweden, Saturday.
Photo: AP

FOR DECADES, Sweden has allowed demagogues like Ahmed Rami , whose Radio Islam is a 22-language flagship of Holocaust denial, Jew-hatred and demonization of the State of Israel, to poison the well among the nation's Muslim minority.

Over-the-top vilification anti-Israel rhetoric is a hallmark of a large swathe of the Swedish political establishment.

"Israel is an apartheid state. I think Gaza is comparable to the Warsaw Ghetto... I'm surprised that Israel... can do the exact same things the Nazis did," charged Ingalill Bjartén, the vice-chair for the Social Democratic Women in southern Sweden. "I don't think Israel is a democracy worthy of the name. It's a racist apartheid state," said the Left Party's Hans Linde, calling for a boycott of Israel. A leading Social-Democrat, Urban Ahlin, deputy chair of the Committee of Foreign Affairs, implored Stockholm to encourage the EU to suspend its cooperation agreement with Israel.

On the right, Carl Bildt, Sweden's foreign minister, after visiting Gaza charged Israel with intentionally targeting economic infrastructure and called its policies "neither morally nor politically defensible." In 2004, when a Europewide poll revealed that 59 percent of respondents identified Israel as "the greatest threat to world peace," a Swedish government conference on preventing genocide was coordinated with a Stockholm museum exhibit, entitled "Snow White and the Madness of Truth," that glorified an Islamic Jihad homicide bomber who mass murdered 22 Israeli Jews and Arabs at a Haifa café.

IN 2005, a US State Department report documented that anti-Semitic incidents against Sweden's tiny Jewish community spiked to over 100 a year after 2000, with attacks on Jewish shopkeepers and members of the Jewish Burial Society in Malmo, arson and vandalism of a Jewish cemetery, a swastika painted near the Jewish community building in Gothenburg, three Arab men disrupted the Rosh Hashana service shouting "I'll kill you, Zionists!" at the Great Synagogue in Stockholm where a pro-Israel street demonstration was violently disrupted by counterdemonstrators and members of Hizb ut-Tahrir handed out leaflets near a mosque that urged the liquidation of Jews in Palestine.

A 2006 poll showed 30 percent of all Swedes harbored moderate to strong anti-Semitic attitudes.

In 2008-2009 since the Gaza war broke out, slogans including "murderers... You broke the cease-fire" and "don't subject Palestine to ethnic cleansing" have defaced the Israeli embassy in Stockholm, while in Helsingborg synagogue windows were broken while an arson fire blazed outside.

Sweden is among the European countries with laws against Holocaust denial and defamation of minorities. Yet to judge from recent events, such laws are a dead letter regarding offenses against Jews. Though Swedish schools teach Holocaust education, according to polls one-third of Swedish young people doubt that the Holocaust occurred. One can only imagine what Swedish Holocaust hero Raoul Wallenberg, who saved thousands of Hungarian Jews, would think. It's time for Sweden to change sides and come out against, not for, the new war against Israel and the Jews.

Rabbi Abraham Cooper is associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Museum of Tolerance. He has been involved in efforts on behalf of Raoul Wallenberg from the 1980s. Dr. Harold Brackman, a historian, is a consultant for the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

Source: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1236269377485&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Babelfished Swedish response:


Sweden accused of anti-Semitism

Of TT
Published March 9, 2009 13.24 | Updated March 9, 2009 13.24

Davis Cup match in Malmö has been fully completed but the controversy around the game raging on. In a debate article in the newspaper Jerusalem Post accused now Sweden and Malmö for anti-Semitism.

MALMÖ. Now the strong Israeli criticism that accuses Sweden and Malmö for anti-Semitism.

In a debate article in the newspaper Jerusalem Post article is the authors Abraham Cooper and Harold Brackman hard to Sweden.

They believe that the decision to let the match be played behind closed doors were governed by prejudices that "echoes of Nazi anti-Semitism."

The authors accuse the politicians in Malmö Recreation Board for having given in to pressure from the city's anti-Israeli Muslim minority, states Swedish Radio Eko.

Malmö commissioner, Ilmar Reepalu (S) dismisses the criticism.

- It is absurd. We have from the outset made it clear that it is about safety, not about Jews. And after what happened last Saturday, it is well clear to all that it could have be a dangerous situation if we had to evacuate the hall with 4 000 people to what happened out there, with stone towards police, "he told TT.

Total arrested nine people in the fierce riots outside the Baltic area. A 22-year-old man is under arrest on suspicion of attempted aggravated assault.

According to police, several of the masked activists who participated in the home now identified.

[RoyB]

FFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUU... and here comes the Simon Wiesenthal Center crowd to label Sweden and all Swedes as anti-semites. :roll: I love how they try to make a point about this being about Jews. Yeah... okay. Got to love all the factual errors as well. But whatever.
Huh? why did you FFFFUUUUUU me?
It wasn't headline news anyway..

[Mr.Flint]

To answer Sufficient

A player's perspective.


In almost every respect, the events of the past week in Sweden are a sad moment for Tennis, for sports in general, and certainly for Israel. Never in my career as an athlete have I encountered such hatred and such blend of sports and politics.
Up until the last moment, the protestors attempted to prompt the cancelation of the David Cup match between Israel and Sweden. After we already landed here, their leader met with Swedish team captain Mats Wilander and asked him to call off the contest.
The Swedish players actually understand us and are quite embarrassed by what is happening, yet these events have completely changed my perception of Sweden, and it is doubtful whether I’ll want to come back here ever again.
The feelings within the Israel team are very grim. All the innocence that prompted us to play tennis has disappeared, and this match, which was supposed to be a beautiful moment of sports, has become completely worthless. Nothing here is reminiscent of the Davis Cup; what we have is a war atmosphere, tension, and the feeling that something very bad may happen at any moment.
I have never seen the kind of security that we are receiving here; not even in Dubai, where I played a few weeks ago. At any given moment, we are surrounded by police vehicles, undercover police officers, and anti-terror forces. Every morning, they take us from the hotel to the stadium via another route, through an underground parking lot, with part of the ride being undertaken in armored vehicles.
Proud to be Israeli
The venue of the contest, which was supposed to be filled to capacity with fans, is almost completely empty because of fears of riots. Several rings of fences have been erected around it to keep everyone away. The fences are surrounded by thousands of police officers, who on Saturday had to battle thousands of rioting protesters who were hurling all sorts of objects, shattering shop windows, and attempting to get closer to the venue.
Since we landed here, almost a week ago, we left the hotel only three times; we ate at a restaurant twice, and went to see some tourist site. Even then we were surrounded by a crazy security presence. We spend the rest of the time at the hotel or on the court and make sure to be very cautious.
In recent years, the strength of our team has been its tight-knit spirit, and events such as the ones in Sweden boost our motivation. During such days, we are even prouder to be Israeli, and we shall do everything to restore our honor, which they try to trample here. In this respect, the best service we can do for ourselves and for the country is to win, and I believe we can do it.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3682693,00.html

[~Berdan]

FFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUU... and here comes the Simon Wiesenthal Center crowd to label Sweden and all Swedes as anti-semites. :roll: I love how they try to make a point about this being about Jews. Yeah... okay. Got to love all the factual errors as well. But whatever.



Babelfished Swedish response:


Yea,ok...Somebody should really take his chill pill for today :lol:

[Hollis]

FFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUU... :


Let's keep it civil........... Maybe take a break too cool down.

[Sufficient]

[edit] Better to not say anything I guess :)

[Falafel]

The Swedish decision to hold a closed tennis match reeks of cowardice and an admittance that they neither cope with or control the significant numbers of raging, violent Muslim extremists and terrorist sympathizers within their borders.

[Rayber]

Im a far leftist and Pro palestine but seriously . As far as i know none of the israeli players have had any political comments or remarks about the conflict (and even if they did only a peacefull demonstration would be acceptable ) and i cant see what this players can do anyways , Let sport be sport and politics be politics .

Most likely the problem is bloody hooligans seeing an oppertunity(sic?)to rage against the police and give the guys who aims to demonstrate peacefully a bad reputation...

[Moledet]

Rayber, a protest called "stop the match!" can not be peaceful, it calls on the demonstrators to take actions to stop a sports event and the only way is with violence.

[Rayber]

It does not need to be violent but its a welcome to violent asswipes , just to make it clear , i do not support stopping the match :)

[Fargin]

Israel won! Thanks to the swedish people for the nice welcome p-)
Congratulations on the win, shameful that Israeli athletes aren't secure in a scandinavian country.

[Jacobisahottie]

I am so disgusted by Sweden for letting these islamofascist roam free disgracing their country like that. Cronulla riot bring it on!