– I am stunned by the pictures I see from Sweden – you see horses trampling and policemen running after protesters. It brings thoughts back to Oslo in the 80s and 90s, and it quickly escalates, says Johnny Brenna to Dagbladet.
Brenna is currently a writer and specialist consultant, but has a long political career behind him, where he was a scout and “mockery” during large demonstrations in Norway and abroad.
“New” tactics
The ex-policeman has witnessed extensive violent riots in recent days in a number of Swedish cities, where protesters upset over the Danish right-wing extremist Rasmus Paludan’s Koran burning tour have attacked the police forces.
«DUTCH TROLLEYS»: The lightly armored «dutch wagons» are central to the MIK concept. Here from a Sian demonstration in Oslo in 2020. Photo: Frank Karlsen / Dagbladet
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In addition to a number of police cars being rammed and set on fire, a number of officials are also injured; among other things, a driver is said to have been pulled out of a police car. In today’s riots in Norrköping, it is confirmed that three civilians have sustained gunshot wounds, after the police fired warning shots.
– We have not seen such scenes in Norway for many years. The reason is that Norway and Denmark at the beginning of 2000 introduced the so-called MIK [mobil innsats]the concept, says Brenna.
The MIK concept was introduced according to a model from, among others, the Netherlands. Much of the purpose of the strategy is to prevent personal injury, in that the police lean heavily on lightly armored vehicles that they either sit inside or hide behind.
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Annual battles
In the 80s and 90s, Scandinavia was marked by violent demonstrations: In Oslo, the police constantly clashed with, among others, left-wing radical flashers, while in Copenhagen it was the ideological cousins BZs who were the police’s counterpart in the streets. In Sweden, the annual right-wing extremist degenerated Salemmarchen regularly to street beatings.
– In Oslo, police officers previously ran after protesters, during some very violent demonstrations, with a high risk of injuries among both police officers and demonstrators – gas was sprayed and stones thrown back – it degenerated very much, says the ex-policeman.
Brenna emphasizes that he has no certain knowledge of Swedish police tactics, and that he comments on what he can see in photos from the clashes of recent days.
EXPOLITIAN: Author, special consultant and ex-policeman Johnny Brenna says the pictures from Sweden are reminiscent of the old days. Photo: Lars Eivind Bones / Dagbladet
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– Why should Swedish police doubt the old tactics?
– I do not know. But the pictures do not indicate that the MIK concept is very implemented; policemen with shields run, horses come trampling, we see isolated police cars with blue lights and sirens, as in the old days. It quickly escalates in that way, and makes the officials more vulnerable, he says.
“Dutch carriages”
The MIK concept thus means that the police effort is built around the armored “Dutch wagons”, rather than shields and horses.
– It leads to much less confrontations and injuries. You sit in the vehicle, or hide behind the cars, and the police use them actively to maneuver around the protesters, in addition to going to arrests with their own civilians and uniformed personnel, Brenna says.
OLD DAYS: The Oslo police and blitzers bark together in the autumn of 1990, this time in connection with a demonstration against the Norwegian Student Society’s debate meeting on nationalism. Photo: Lars Eivind Bones / Dagbladet
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In his political career, he himself sat inside such cars that “spot” during demonstrations, both in Norway and abroad, including during the Salem March. He worked closely with the task force, which he fed with intelligence.
– I worked closely with the demonstration environment in the field, and followed the MIK concept – which is perceived as less provocative for the other party. I often sat inside the “Dutch carriages”, he explains, and continues:
– With the cars more advanced, the crews come more into the background. Things are thrown at the vehicles, but it appears less provocative.
According to the Oslo police’s own evaluation, the MIK concept has been a success. In the trade magazine Politiforum The then Chief of Staff Thor Langli stated in 2013 that the personal injuries they had before, “are now virtually absent”.
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