On 17 May, two young people were exposed to violence in the center of Ålesund during the National Day celebrations. One of them was hit in the head with a glass bottle.
When a friend tried to intervene to stop the riots, that person was also beaten down.
Those who attacked the two young people were all under 18 years of age. That worries the police in Ålesund.
Do not be surprised by escalation
– We can confirm that May 17 was a very serious incident in the center of Ålesund. It is about bodily injury where young people attack young people.
The head of the police station at Ålesund police station, Oddbjørn Solheim, tells TV 2.
Solheim says that the young people that the police now map and suspect may have something to do with the incident, all are young people in the age range 15 to 17 years.
He says that what happened on May 17 is the latest in a series of similar incidents and actions carried out by persons under 18 years of age.
The police station chief assures that the police have good knowledge of those behind the violence.
– We take it very seriously, but we are unfortunately not surprised that the situation is escalating, says Solheim.
– These are young people who have been mapped over time and who have had various challenges over time. But this time they have gone far beyond the line, he adds.
Got glass bottle smashed in the back of my head
TV 2 has spoken to a person who witnessed the attack during the national day celebrations.
The person wishes to remain anonymous, but TV 2 knows the person’s identity.
The person told TV 2 that it was quite surprising that a gang came and started attacking the two young people in the center of Ålesund.
He confirms that one of the young people who was subjected to an attack must have received a blow to the back of the head with a glass bottle. The bottle shattered and the person fell to the ground.
The gang must also have taken hold of the youth and thrown the person in question into an iron bar.
– After a while, there were some who came to help in the situation and it was enough that they were allowed to run up a hill to get away, says the person TV 2 has spoken to.
– The police are investigating a serious incident of violence between young people in Ålesund. Photo: Per Christian Dyrø / TV 2
–
While the young people set off to get away, they are said to have had threats called for them.
What happened on May 17 has also made those who saw the situation feel fearful.
– I have barely heard of these young people before. But do not notice that they have attacked random people before now, says the person in question.
The police station chief says the actions are unacceptable.
– We do not want gross violence in Ålesund and this will have consequences for those who have done so. Ålesund is, and will continue to be, a safe city to live and stay in.
– What criminal sanctions may be relevant in such a case?
– It will of course go through the court system and it is about young people, so I will not prey on anything. But bodily harm is a serious, punishable act that has consequences.
Ask people to calm down
Following the attack on 17 May, there have been several posts on various social media that the police station chief fears may be creating a deep conflict.
He thinks people need to behave calmly and let the police do their job. The worst that can happen is that people take matters into their own hands.
– One must not start whipping up a mood that makes one start to confront each other or that people have their own reprisals.
– This case of violence is deeply serious. Then it is important to let the police do their job.
Has been banned from visiting a school class
In another case concerning youth elections, TV 2 is aware that a student at a school in Ålesund municipality has been banned from visiting by the police.
The reason why the student has been banned is not directly involved with the case from 17 May, but is a case related to youth elections.
The police station chief confirms that they have been forced to use such a measure in a case recently.
– Visitation ban is one of the tools we use. It is a tool linked quite directly to the person who gets the ban.
–
:quality(80)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/lanacionar/D3H74ELO5JAFFG73SQR6HDGO64.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1)
