STOCKHOLM: More than 50 people were injured and dozens detained in Stockholm on Thursday as clashes broke out at an Eritrean pro-government festival, police and health officials said, with anti-government protesters trashing property at the site.

“Another public gathering took place close to the festival site, during which a violent riot broke out,” police said, adding in a statement they had detained “around a hundred people”.

Police said they remained at the scene in a suburb northwest of Stockholm and were “continuing their efforts to disrupt criminal acts and restore order.” They said they had also opened an investigation into violent rioting and arson as well as obstructing the work of police and rescue services.

Around 1,000 anti-government demonstrators authorised to hold a protest nearby broke through a police barrier as they stormed the festival, the tabloid Expressen reported.

They tore down festival tents, using tent spikes as weapons against police and throwing stones at officers, the paper said.

Police said at least 52 people had required medical attention, either at the scene or at local clinics and hospitals.

15 people had been taken to hospital, regional healthcare authority Region Stockholm said in a separate statement. Eight of them had “serious injuries,” with the other seven sustaining “minor injuries,” according to the authority, which added it had multiple units at the scene.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2023