If Syria was Sweden... Part II (see part I below)

The local ‘Strong Man’ of Malmö has on many occasions been directly opposing the policies emanating from the National Parliament in Stockholm. The extremely quick development of this volatile situation, has taken most Scanians and Swedes by surprise. He however, claims that this should not be a surprise, as the interests of the army are the same as those of the Government. From his office the local Swedish Television mange to televise his speech against what he calls the ‘Swedish occupation of Scania,’ claiming that this is an offence of the same kind experienced a little more than 300 years ago, asking his fellow Scanians not ‘to bow ever again to Stockholm.’ He says he will himself approach the Home Reserve and participate in the struggle to free Scania once and for all.

Local and national politicians as well as the military seem to be divided—and hence paralysed—on the issue, as P7’s advancement in less than 10 hours have led to road blocks all around Malmö, aggressive searches in particular neighbourhoods and armed clashes between local brigades (Home Reserve, some divisions of the local police and criminal elements joined) and P7’s soldiers patrolling the main streets of the city. It is increasingly apparent that P7 is not isolated in the Swedish army; the Marine and the Air Force have come in to support P7, while other regiments have started preparations for similar situations.

In other Swedish towns and cities people are taking to the streets in angered protests against a government and parliament, which seems to completely have lost all control of the military. The mass protests are not organised, but seem to embrace all kinds of civil society actors, political parties and un-organised civilians joined in outrage. The Prime Minister, in a bid to indicate being in control of the situation, explains the need to keep Malmö calm. Within 24 hours of the siege of Malmö, the army, heavily supported by the Air Force and the Marine, invades Gothenburg, Kalmar, Karlstad, and not least Kiruna.

Rumours spread that the bridge to Copenhagen is about to be closed, and Danes living in southern Scania, as well as an incredible number of Swedes from the southern end of the country pack essentials in their cars, in a frantic move to leave the country. On the eve of the second day of the crisis, the Öresund bridge is packed with cars, the Öresund trains are swamped with people, and since the traffic in the Swedish direction is close to nil, people have started crossing the bridge on foot on the ‘wrong’ side. Similarly, the boats for other Danish cities, including Rönne in Bornholm, are crammed with people wishing to leave Sweden until the crisis is over. Only the ferries across the Baltic Sea, towards southern Finland and Estland do not experience any significant rise in number of passengers. The roads into Norway are also fully packed with people claiming they are off on holiday. Only airports seem to be operating as usual without any disturbances; they are under the control of the army. The number of cancellations is rising however.