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News (Media Awareness Project) - Sweden: In Their Own Words
Title:Sweden: In Their Own Words
Published On:1998-10-08
Source:Nojesguiden
Fetched On:2008-09-07 10:16:56
IN THEIR OWN WORDS

When the Rave Squad write up their operations they speak of "rave rats" and
"nigger kids".

This is something their boss does not want the public to see.

After every shift the Rave Squads groups write their reports, intended for
internal use.

But the material is public property and Nojesguiden asked for the reports
of one month to get a clearer picture of the Squads work.

As expected, parts of the text had been deleted. The police have the right
to do this with material that can effect an ongoing investigation, though
even this material becomes public after prosecutions have been made.

The documents we received were full of deletions, ' X ' in the text
indicates passages that were stricken over with a black felt tipped pen.

" We visited two xxxxxxxx kids playing hide and seek" Our curiosity got the
better of us when we saw that the deletion was still readable. The words
stood out through the black ink and there it said clearly that the Rave
Squad reported they had seen "two nigger kids playing hide and seek".

Another example:

"The patrol started by visiting xxxxx who was at home having it cuddly with
his girlfriend. When we left we met a rave rat (deleted) with red hair who
went into the flat. As rave rats with red hair are interesting, we hung
around. After a while another rave rat (deleted) with light hair arrived.
She rang the doorbell and knocked, but was not let in. We felt party vibes
and stayed watching the address, but after an hour we found the group was
having a quiet evening watching the film Piano."

It was Jan Magnusson, the Rave Squads new chief who had made the deletions
before giving us the reports. The deletions had been done in haste, a lot
of names and addresses that should have been withheld had been left
visible, but the controversial expressions mentioned above had been deleted
with black ink.

What is meant by 'ongoing investigation'?

"It means the case has not yet resulted in prosecution." And when you
delete material it is to protect secrecy in these cases?

"Yes, and also information given by informants etc. There is all kinds of
information in the reports that I can delete. The reason for deleting is to
protect third parties."

But the deleted parts can still be read. What is your comment about young
women connected with the rave scene being called "rave rats".

"That I have no idea about, but I found the expression inappropriate, that
is why I struck it out."

In another deleted part a rave arranger is called "Druggie xxxx" (her first
name)

"Yes, that is what she is called in her own circles, so it isn't an unusual
term, its her nickname, so to speak."

I can also read about coloured children being referred to as "nigger kids".

"Yes, that is also an expression I found inappropriate." Which ongoing
investigation were you protecting in this case?

"I found it a completely inappropriate expression, but I can't answer for
it because I hadn't seen it before I read the report. I find it a
deplorable expression."

Will you take this up with the police in the Rave Squad?

"Certainly I will do that, that is what is always done when inappropriate
language is used, it appears in other reports also. I don't mean just the
Rave Squad, but the police in general. It is not always understood that
these are public documents. They are normally used internally, to see what
the previous patrol has done. And perhaps they can use careless language."

Is this kind of language used normally by the police?

"Which words were you thinking of?"

For example calling coloured children "nigger kids."

"I can't say why they said 'nigger kids' in this case, but otherwise it is
not unusual for police to use rough language without meaning to be
insulting. I don't consider it insulting anyway. I'm sure other professions
have expressions for people who are not of Nordic or Swedish origin"

Jan Magnusson cleaned up the Rave Squads language. But he was not their
chief when the reports were written. It was Rickard Johansson, who is now
police chief in the town of Varmdo. We telephoned him and asked what "rave
rat" means.

Is that sort of language usual in the Rave Squad?

"No,it is not. Is that the shift report you are looking at?, no it is
definitely not, it isn't, no, all I can say is that it must be aŠ.well, I
don't know what. But anyway it is not usual to use such names in the Rave
Squad, I don't think I've heard them even once".

It is easy to get the impression that this attitude is widespread in the
Rave Squad.

"No, we have nothing against the rave culture. What we are against are the
drugs."

As you were responsible for the Squad when this was written, you must have
seen it.

"I read the shift reports, but I have never heard the words actually
spoken. I don't remember reading the words, but I probably must have done
as I have read the reports."

We read the reports containing the words 'rave rats' for him.

"I can say this, I do not recognise this. I have certainly read it, that I
must have done, but I have notŠ.we do not use this kind of language."

So this is a once only occurrence.

"Yes, absolutely".

I reacted to an arranger being called "Druggie xxxx", that sounds
insulting, just like rave rat. Shouldn't she have been called something
else?

"This sort of language should not be used, but it must have been an
exception, because we do not speak like this in the Squad. I have never
heard these words used at all. But I must emphasise that what is written is
for internal use only, to look back and see what has happened on previous
dates. But even so, this kind of language should not be used."

If it is used in internal reports, it may give the impression that this is
the Rave Squads attitude and way of speaking.

"It is an exception and it is wrong."

I have another example here, it says: "two nigger kids played hide and seek."

"Where did it say that?"

In a shift report.

"I do not recognise that, as I have told you, that is definitely not our
normal language, it is not used in our meetings."

Here are some names people have said they have been called by the Rave
Squad: "Junkie", "damned junkie", "Junkie shit", "druggie", "damned
druggie", "druggie rat", "druggie whore", "junkie whore", "pippi junkie".

"Well, I think that, why hasn't this been reported? If this is true,
because it is only rumour as far as I understand. But this kind of language
shouldn't be used in the field either, it shouldn't be used anywhere. I
don't believe this kind of language has been used, it isn't allowed. That's
the way it is."

So you encourage anyone who has been offended by the Rave Squad to report it?

"This kind of thing should be exposed, definitely. This kind of thing
should not be allowed. It sounds improbable to me."

© Nojesguiden
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