Two nights of riots in Stockholm suburb

Riots in a Stockholm immigrant suburb have led to one arrest after a police station and other buildings were attacked, according to police. Three government ministers have visited the scene after case of arson spread to a neighbouring area overnight.

Reuters

A man in his 20s was arrested Wednesday afternoon on suspicion of rioting after Tuesday night’s disturbances in the district of Rinkeby,  north-west of Stockholm. 

“He has been detained and is previously known to the police," officials said. They are examining footage from the security cameras and expect to make further arrest. 

Swedish Prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said the “riots that have burst in the Stockholm suburb on Monday and Tuesday needed to be brought quickly under control”. 

Up to 100 youths rioted for two straight nights in a heavily immigrant suburb of Stockholm , throwing bricks, setting fire to buildings and vehicles and attacking the local police station.

Cases of arson are also reported in neighbouring Tensta. 

“The whole thing started when a group of young adults were not permitted to enter a junior high school dance. They got angry and started throwing rocks through the school windows,” police spokesmperson Mats Eriksson said.

Rinkeby is home to many first- and second-generation immigrants, many of them from Somalia, and has earned the nickname of "Little Mogadishu".