The Incident

The match, held at the Swede football hall, was halted in the 78th minute. the reason? Objects were hurled from the stands, one of which struck Assistant Referee Per Rehnman. According to Rehnman, the object was a smaller glass bottle that hit him on the wad, an incident he described to DN as a very unpleasant feeling.

Immediate Aftermath and Decisions

Following the incident, a series of urgent meetings took place. Participants included the referees, police, match delegate, representatives from arenabolaget, and AIK organizers. The collective decision was to resume the match after reinforcing security around the section of the stands from where the objects originated. This decision aimed to balance safety with the desire to complete the game for the fans and players.

Official Response and Investigation

The Swedish Football Association, as the employer of the referees, has taken the incident seriously. The association has reported the event to the police, signaling a zero-tolerance approach to such behaviour. Martin fredman, security manager at the Swedish Football Association, emphasized the severity of the situation.

It is indeed more serious than violations of the Ordinance Act, which it is frequently enough counted as when objects are thrown in. In this case, my assessment is that it has met in a completely different way and with a completely different danger on the objects that have been thrown. And what I have received from the police is that they share that view, so it will probably be a preliminary investigation linked to the least abuse.
Martin Fredman, Security Manager, Swedish Football Association

Fredman also stated that immediate contact was made with the referees to ensure their well-being and to provide support in the face of potential social media backlash. We have routines for such events. Unfortunately, they have been quite well incorporated. We try to relieve the judges,ensure that they are not exposed too much based on what it looks like in social media, Fredman explained.

Potential Consequences for AIK

The Swedish Football association is awaiting a report from the match delegate, who is responsible for assessing the match arrangement. The findings in this report could lead to consequences for AIK in upcoming matches. These consequences could range from fines to stadium closures, depending on the severity of the assessed security lapses. Fredman noted the importance of dialog in addressing such incidents. There are cases that end up in the Disciplinary Board, there are cases where the police decide on other conditions. And, of course, there are also organizers who take action without having to have some kind of compelling part in the whole. I think AIK is very responsive to the fact that this was an event that you didn’t want to see at your event.

Fredman further emphasized the collaborative nature of addressing such incidents. After an event, there are many tracks that leave, but it is a pretty interplay piano after all. As of course it is indeed completely unacceptable in every way.

AIK’s Response

AIK has also taken action by reporting the incident to the police. Henrik Koch, the club’s security manager, stressed the club’s commitment to addressing criminal behavior. We have a policy that all crimes should be reported to the police and the police were also present. They saw what happened, so that they have also prepared a notification, Koch stated, underscoring the club’s condemnation of the incident.

Looking Ahead: Enhanced Security Measures

AIK’s next home game against Malmö FF is classified as a high-risk match, prompting increased security preparations. The club plans to hold meetings with the police, the arena company, and Supporter Liaison Officers (SLOs) to improve the working surroundings for assistant referees. Potential measures include physical barriers to prevent objects from being thrown.

We are currently looking at that you can do something in terms of construction. Can you put up a network in front of that section that makes you unable to throw things on the judge? As something daunting to make them come up with better thoughts, Koch explained.

Koch described the eastern long side stand section as a vibrant seat area with passionate supporters. he acknowledged that while most fans behave appropriately, a small minority engage in unacceptable behavior. AIK intends to engage in dialogue with supporters in the affected section to address the issue.

Ongoing Police Investigation

The police have collected surveillance footage from the arena as part of their investigation. However, the individuals responsible for throwing the objects have not yet been identified. Right now we can’t do much as the police are sitting on the movies and we can’t get them right now. As it comes as far as they are identified, we obviously make organizers shutdowns and are positive about access ban, Koch stated, indicating that once identified, the perpetrators will face bans from attending future events.