Police Struggle to Control May Day Violence and Incidents Across Norway

In Oslo, the police had to threaten with weapons to get control of two men who were involved in a fight at St. Hanshaugen.

The incident happened at 1.45am after several people had notified the police about the two men.

– One had a knife, refused to drop it and comply with the police’s orders. Then the patrol feels compelled to both use pepper spray and threaten with firearms, operations manager Tor Gulbrandsen in the Oslo police district tells NTB.

Both men, one in his late teens, the other in his early 20s, have been arrested and remanded in custody.

– Both here and there

Otherwise, there have been many fights around nightclubs in the center of Oslo.

– A few punches and kicks were handed out both here and there last night. Several doormen have contacted the police for assistance.

Gulbrandsen says that his impression is that this evening and night has been far more demanding than an ordinary Saturday night.

– My impression is that this is a Saturday plus in terms of the number of fights and disturbances. It can be compared to certain weekends, and the level is not quite New Year’s Eve, but not far off.

Suspect coal

In Sandnes, ten people on a camping trip by Lake Tengesdal have been sent to Stavanger University Hospital on suspicion of carbon monoxide poisoning. Three of them have serious symptoms, according to the police.

All ten have spent the night in the same tent and the police suspect that a charcoal grill in the tent is the explanation for the possible poisoning. The police were notified of the incident at 3.18am.

This happened after the Sør-West police district had already warned of a busy night.

– The evening and the start of the night shift are busy at the operations centre. There is no capacity to tweet individual events. Serious conditions and matters affecting the general public will be prioritized for tweeting, the police district writes on Twitter shortly before midnight.

Local politician died in fire

Jumped in the water

West police district has also had a hectic night.

At 3.47 the police received a report that a person had jumped into the water at Zachariasbryggen in Bergen.

– The person is taken to hospital. He was breathing on his own but was unconscious, the police wrote on Twitter.

The police in Trøndelag report incidents of violence and fights in both Stjørdal and Trondheim.

A man in his 20s has been taken to Levanger hospital after he is said to have been beaten at a nightclub in Stjørdal.

– Man knocked down at a nightclub. Lying on the ground and bleeding from the head, writes the Police in Trøndelag on Twitter.

The extent of the damage is unknown following the incident that occurred at 11.24pm on National Day. One person has been arrested in the case.

The police in Møre og Romsdal report that a person has been taken to Volda hospital after being hit on the head in Volda.

– Thrown food

The police in Innlandet also report that they have had to deal with drunken people in Elverum, Hamar and Lillehammer.

– Drunken man in his 20s expelled from the city center after throwing food at the police car. He did not comply with the said order and was taken into custody, the police write on Twitter.

The South-East police district reports several incidents in both Tønsberg and Drammen where people have been expelled from the center as a result of drunkenness and noise.

Agder police district reports that they have had to deal with heavily intoxicated people in both Kristiansand and Arendal.

– Don’t go to hospital

Long national day

Even before midnight on National Day, there were a number of cases for the police:

● In Tromsø, an “angry and drunk” man tried to get into a nightclub just before midnight.

– The man refused to leave the place. The police have been on the scene. The man is on his way home, notes Troms police district.

● At 11 p.m., the police brought in a “drunk and acting out” person after confrontations at a night club in the center of Ålesund, report Møre and Romsdal police district.

● At 21.45, the East police district received several reports about a large youth party with very young participants at the bathing area at Lundebyvannet in Indre Østfold.

– Parents who have children at the site are asked to contact the hopefuls to check their condition and pick them up, urges the police.

● The police in Agder moved out at 9pm to Øvrebø, where residents had reported a “violent robbery with cars”.

● At 20.30, the police moved out following reports of a fight in Sande in Vestfold.

– There has been a fight between a number of young people aged 17. It is probably linked to unwanted attendance at a private party in the area, writes South-East police district.

A boy has been examined by paramedics and taken home, they further report.

● In Porsanger, a man in his 60s has been ordered to stay away from a tourist center after he caused a disturbance inside the centre, writes Finnmark police district.

● In Larvik, two Russian buses have been ordered not to play any more music on Wednesday evening after a number of complaints, report South-East police district.

● In Skien, a man aged 21 has been expelled from the center after he had a conflict with another guest at a nightclub, reports South-East police district.

● In Tromsø, a man was brought in and put in drunken custody. In addition, he is reported for not complying with orders to leave the city centre, reports Troms police district i 22-tida.

● At 19:00, the police were called by security guards at the Jada nightclub in the Xhibition shopping center in central Bergen, after the security guards were unable to control the crowd outside.

● At 8.30pm, the Bergen police again receive many reports of fights in the city centre.