Swedish train driver who warned against pickpockets reported for racism

By Emma R. 25 November 2018



By Brian S / shutterstock.com

“Unusual announcements” have been called out in the subway during the past week. Several people attest that the announcer, on various occasions, has pointed out a certain group as pickpockets.
The group seems to be beggars. Josefin Meissner is one of those who has reported the announcements to SL (Stockholm Public Transport).
“Hold on to your phones, your computers, your coffee, because these people steal everything”, she claims to have heard in the subway on Tuesday.
She argues that it is racism and plans to report it to the police. I felt that it was targeted at a specific group. That it was no ordinary warning against pickpockets. It was just “watch out for these people”. And I thought at once that it was about beggars, she says.
Another person who heard a similar call is Linn Björlund. A male voice urged passengers to hide valuables like phones, computers and jewellery on Wednesday.
“And it was even worse when he said it in English, because he called the pickpockets ‘they’, ‘they get on now’”, she says. Claes Nyberg, press spokesperson at MTR/SL, says that they will have a talk with the staff about “good form”.
“It’s important that our employees know our rules, what is good form, and what they can and cannot say. And we will of course follow up on the issue”, he says.

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