Södertälje has a large Assyrian community of about 30%. Both Ronna and Hovsjö have a large immigrant community, made up especially of Syrian Assyrians and Finns.
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This past week a bus in Södertälje was attacked with rockets. Helena Sundberg of SL (Greater Stockholm transport service) says that it can't go on any longer, as they can't guarantee the safety of the drivers and passengers.
Stone throwing has been going on all throughout the fall. Kjell Hägglund, security head of Swedbus, which drives buses through Södertälje for SL, sounds resigned. It's the same old thing. The youth throw stones at the buses. Now they've started shooting rockets and throwing bombs as well.
Friday night things went too far. First, at midnight, several youth threw stones at a buss in Ronna, hard enough to break a window and land on one of the seats. Then, at about three, a buss was attacked in Hovsjö. The bus was just coming back when the driver saw four, five youth take position on the road and each fired a rocket at the bus. Anders Arvsin of Swebus in Södertälje says that the driver threw himself to the floor and thankfully was not hurt.
The windows didn't break, but blackened completely, and the bus walls were damaged. Anders Arvsin is not surprised of what happened. He himself had driven the bus in Ronna and Hovsjö. Youth throwing stones has become commonplace and has been going on and off for about two years. He says people are prepared for it to happen, especially when driving at night.
The police haven't managed to stop the youth, but Anders Arvsin still thinks the politicians are mostly responsible. The police is doing everything they can, but the politicians just don't seem to see the problem. Hovsjö is starting to look like a slum in an American film.
SL and Swebus have decided to stop all traffic after 6pm, at least until the New Year's. After the holiday there will be a meeting between SL, Swebus, the police and social services in Södertälje. Kjell Hägglund says things must change. He wants the parents to be engaged. They're currently missing in the neighborhood and that must change.
Source: DN (Swedish), h/t Muslimska friskolan (Swedish)
See also: Södertälje: Swedish intifada, Århus: Bus personnel attacked by immigrants
