Over 50 injured in Sweden festival clashes

Stockholm, Aug 4

More than 50 people were injured as violent clashes broke out at an Eritrean cultural festival in the Swedish capital of Stockholm with at least 100 detained, according to local authorities.

Fifteen of the injured have been taken to hospital, including eight in serious condition, Swedish broadcaster SVT reported, citing Region Stockholm, the healthcare and public transport authority in Stockholm County.

Three police officers were also injured, Xinhua news agency quoted SVT as saying.

Around 1,000 anti-Eritrean government protesters on Thursday stormed the festival event and threw stones at police officers, according to local media.

The Eritrea-themed festival is an annual event held since the 1990s to mark the cultural heritage of the African country, which gained independence from Ethiopia three decades ago.

Yet it has been criticised for gathering people who support the Eritrean administration.

At present, tens of thousands of people of Eritrean origin are reportedly living in Sweden.

Police said that an investigation has been launched into violent riots, arson, and sabotaging of emergency services, and that they remained at the scene in a suburb northwest of Stockholm.