Sweden gang violence: Prime minister summons police and army chiefs, as gang violence surges
CNNOct 06, 2023
The Facts
According to a statement made by Swedish police at a press conference on Friday, nearly 62K people in the country belong, or are otherwise linked, to criminal gangs in the country.
Swedish National Police Commissioner Petra Lundh says that authorities have identified 14K active members of criminal networks and 48K others with criminal connections.
The Spin
Left narrative
While the current attempts by Swedish authorities to stop the rise of criminal organizations in the country are a good start, more comprehensive approaches need to be taken to stem gang violence at the source by addressing the social inequities and lack of opportunities for youth that make them susceptible to gang recruitment and violence. The government cannot merely arrest away such profound social problems.
Right narrative
Sweden is a country on the brink of implosion, and the government is to blame for this crisis. Politicians in Sweden have allowed for violence and criminal organizations to flourish, at the cost of the safety of Swedish society. Civilian law enforcement organizations are no longer sufficient to stem this out-of-control crime. The army should be allowed to join the fight against corruption and crime in the country before it is too late.