– It happened right in front of families with children. Small children should not see such things. They cry, they see a lot of blood in the streets. It is Friday evening at Furuset Forum, a meeting place and youth club on Furuset. This evening, a group of mothers have gathered. They want to tell news why they stay in bed and ponder in the evenings: – As a mother, I am afraid for my children. We love our children. That’s why we need help, says one of them. Because here at Furuset, two young men were stabbed a short time ago. The violence in Oslo recently has frightened the mothers. Getting guns out The eight mothers have both small children and teenagers. Boys and girls. The discussion around the table is heated, and takes place both in Norwegian and other languages. An interpreter translates the different languages. The mothers have asked to remain anonymous because they do not want their children to get into trouble. But they all agree that they have to speak out about the seriousness they experience. Now they are asking the police to check young people for weapons more often – including their children. – We can check them at home before they leave. But it is when they go out that older people can give them weapons, such as knives, says a distraught mother. Even if the children should feel discriminated against by being stopped more often by the police, the parents believe that this is what is needed. – I would rather my child be discriminated against than my child be stabbed, says one. But the police checks must not only take place in their neighbourhood. – Crime happens all over the city. The most important thing is to get the weapons away, says one of the mothers. Going to start with knife operations The Oslo police are also concerned with the hunt for weapons. So far this year, they have seized 40 firearms and more than 80 knives and machetes. Now they will do even more to take weapons from the criminal circles. – We are going to start knife inspections at traffic junctions. To see if people have knives or weapons on them, says John Roger Lund, head of unit east. Unit east is the police for the east and south districts of Oslo. – We hope the citizens have a great understanding that we search with a view to getting weapons away from these environments, says Lund to news. Recruiting outside the block The mothers at Furuset say the local area is usually a good place to be. But the situation in the area has worsened in recent years. And now they are afraid. They fear that their children will be dragged into criminal environments. – The recruiters are getting closer and closer. Now they hang right outside the block, says a mother. She is reluctant to send her son to the shop to buy milk and bread. – We try to protect them. We talk to them and teach them good values at home. But we can’t lock them in either, another mother interjects. – We do what we can to protect our children. But we can’t lock them up like in a prison either, says one of the mothers. Photo: Siv Johanne Bjørkly Seglem / news There is silence around the table when one of the mothers tells about how she feels when she reads comment fields after episodes of violence. She reads about how she is accused of being a bad parent. – It hurts to read it. We do what we can to protect our children, she says despairingly. Now they believe that more must be done to get control of the situation. They believe that schools, leisure facilities, the municipality and the police must work together more. And that the politicians must assist more. This is how they believe problems can be caught early – before the children come of age and it may be too late. A safe city Rune Gjelberg and Nahom Jonas have put on their autumn jackets, ready for an evening walk in the local area at Furuset. They both work in the multipurpose hall Furuset Forum, and have close contact with the young people in the area. They describe the trips as their “outstretched hand” to Furuset. – It is one thing for the police to appear on the news or in the newspaper and say that Oslo is a safe city. – But it might not feel so safe when someone is stabbed and is bleeding to death in this place, says Rune, and points behind him. He stops outside the subway station. There is a large group of teenage boys hanging out, chatting loudly. He thinks that others who are not so familiar with the district may think that a gang of boys like this is a bit scary. – We who live here know that this is normal, the young people are just enjoying themselves on a Friday night, he says. They have carried out these trips for years. Being visible in the local environment is important, both believe. Child and youth worker Nahom Jonas and Alnaskolen leader Rune Gjelberg are trying to get the young people into the leisure club at Furuset Forum. Photo: Siv Johanne Bjørkly Seglem / news Rune says that they have no formal authority, but that they know the young people well and that they can contribute if something were to happen. Like the mothers, Rune believes that the police need to be more present in the neighbourhood. Don’t use a blue light when something serious is happening. He says people in the district say the same. He also believes that more gun controls are necessary. – We are not talking about a full search of people completely arbitrarily, but that you can go after those who you may know from before or who you suspect of having weapons on them. It would probably feel safe for the population here. Machetes and insulation knives Rune is also concerned that more young people are arming themselves. – We are not talking about small stab knives either, but large machetes and insulation knives, he says. He believes that some of the stabbings are about drug settlements, but some of the conflicts can also be triggered by as little as an ugly look. – We are told that young people arm themselves because they are worried and because they are afraid. Should they end up in a situation, they have something to defend themselves with. It is very sad that it has to be like this. Alnaskolen head Rune Gjelberg is well acquainted with the young people at Furuset. They are happy to have a chat with him and child and youth worker Nahom Jonas. Photo: Siv Johanne Bjørkly Seglem / news He understands that the mothers in the district are worried: – Here people live cramped, here people die earlier than average. On all possible social living conditions statistics, people from the area come out worst. The firebrand believes this does something for young boys, who may also be having a hard time at school. – They fall away, and also see no goal and meaning in life. Then it is important that someone can pick them up and help them find their way, says Rune. An extra home 15-year-old Athityan Valluvan is one of the young people who often visit the Furuset Forum. He is also this Friday evening. He himself was born and raised on Furuset, and often jokes that the multi-purpose hall is an extra home for him. – This is where I learned to play football and made friends. For me, growing up on Furuset is the best thing that could have happened to me, he says. Athityan Valluvan is often on the Furuset Forum. He has been that way all his life. – And now that I’m a little older, I get to contribute as a volunteer, says the 15-year-old. Photo: Siv Johanne Bjørkly Seglem / news Now he is a football coach for one of the younger teams in the hall. It means a lot to him that many of the children may look up to him. And that they can always come to him, Rune or Nahom if they have problems. – It means a lot to me that I can contribute to ensuring that the children growing up now have the same joy as I had when I was younger, says Athityan. Athityan Valluvan hangs out as often as he can with his friends at Furuset Forum. He says that it is important that there are always some adults there that they can go to. Photo: Siv Johanne Bjørkly Seglem / news
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