– There will be visible police here. There will be armed police and we have a safety-creating and preventive profile, says chief of staff in Oslo police district Harald Nilssen. A little over a month ago, Norway experienced something that PST later referred to as an extreme Islamist act of terrorism. Two people lost their lives, several were injured. Zaniar Matapour (42) is now charged with murder, attempted murder and terror. Police at the scene after the Oslo shooting at the end of June. Photo: Camilla Svennæs Bergland The threat level is four, which PST itself describes as follows: “Several actors have the ability and willingness to carry out terror in Norway” When asked if the police consider it safe to carry out the Norway Cup, Nilssen replies as follows : – Yes we do. If not, we would have to say something else. So it is a safe event, perhaps one of the safest places in Oslo in that period when so much effort has been put into it, he says to news. Armed police in Oslo after the shooting at the end of June Photo: Camilla Svennæs Bergland Visitors can expect to see armed police. – A high level of threat means that such events have a greater focus on the part of the police than they would have without that level of threat, so there will be more police present than there is at a normal Norway Cup. “Sports festival” The organizer expects 60,000 to 80,000 visitors every single day. Around 1,850 teams are registered, and the children can frolic on 89 different football pitches during the week. Nilssen understands that some parents may be a little anxious about sending their children to the event in view of the level of threat. He wants to reassure: – This is going to be a sports festival, and it should be safe for those who take part and the police will take responsibility for that. Secretary General Pål Trælvik welcomes several thousand children and young people to Ekerbergsletta in Oslo this weekend. Photo: Kristoffer Steffensen Lenes / news In the last two years, during the pandemic, Secretary-General Pål Trælvik has had to cancel. Now he is more than ready to welcome happy football enthusiasts on the plain again – and clarifies that the cooperation with the police and PST is good. – Up here, we have been very spared from anything called noise and unrest and unpleasant experiences. Bækkelagets Sportsklub is the organizer, as it was at the start 50 years ago in 1972. In this year’s edition, Ukrainian teams are also participating. No Russian or Belarusian teams have signed up. Despite the fact that there has recently been a flare-up of the coronavirus worldwide, that does not put a stop to this year’s cup. – We have good test equipment, our own emergency room and a good collaboration with the district superintendent, says Trælvik and adds: – We are well prepared, he says.
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Deploying extra police at the Norway Cup – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
