In early 2025, Sweden was hit by a surge of violence that alarmed both national authorities and the international community. Following a series of 32 explosions in January alone, Swedish law enforcement and government agencies declared the situation a severe domestic crisis.
The Government, alarmed by what was described as “domestic terrorism“, took swift measures including the early implementation of new legislation regarding secret coercive measures for children. Today, however, intensive police operations appear to have brought the wave of violence under control.
Intensive police operations and arrests
According to National Police Chief Petra Lundh, persistent and targeted police work has now reversed the trend. She stated:
“We have managed to interrupt the wave of violence as it appears here and now.”
Lundh further explained the aggressive measures undertaken by her team:
“We have done different forms of crackdowns, including against bomb makers.”
The reduction in explosive incidents in February, compared to the alarming figures of January, supports these claims. However, while the situation appears to have calmed down, authorities remain vigilant as the overall level of organized crime continues to pose a threat.
Ongoing challenges and future measures
Despite the promising drop in violent acts, Swedish law enforcement is not resting on its laurels. The Swedish Police remains deeply engaged with high-conflict criminal environments across the country. Additionally, in the wake of a recent mass shooting at Risbergska skolan in Örebro—where Rickard Andersson fired over 70 shots—the police, acting on government directives, are reviewing the criteria for issuing firearms licenses.
Addressing questions on this matter, Petra Lundh remarked in Morgonstudion:
“We will look at how it is. The National Board of Health and Welfare will evaluate its part and we our part and then we will work together. It is very possible that when we are finished with this, we will see that the law regulations that apply today are not sufficient, we might need additional.”
This coordinated review aims to ensure that the legal framework governing weapon licenses is robust enough to prevent future incidents.
