Police in Uppsala were alerted on Saturday morning to a suspicious dangerous object in the Svartbäcken district, prompting a VMA and extensive cordons. Residents were urged to stay indoors as the national bomb squad investigated the site. The danger was lifted later in the day.
On Saturday morning, shortly after 8 a.m., members of the public found a suspicious dangerous object in Uppsala, specifically in the Svartbäcken district. Police dispatched patrols to the scene and established large cordons to secure the area. A vital public alert (VMA) was issued, and nearby residents were sheltered in place with instructions to stay indoors.
Stefan Larsson, police spokesperson for region Mitt, explained: "It was the public who found this object shortly after eight and had difficulty determining what it was. They chose to contact the police for an assessment. We sent several patrols to the scene and, after an initial assessment, decided to set up fairly extensive cordons."
The national bomb squad was dispatched to the site and handled the objects using a robot. Police assessed at least one of the items as live, meaning potentially explosive. An investigation was initiated on suspicion of attempted gross public dangerous destruction and gross violation of the law on flammable and explosive goods.
The cordons disrupted traffic, bus routes, and several bus stops were closed. The Uppsala Marathon, scheduled for the day, was also affected. Larsson noted: "We have received reports from the public who thought the cordons were related to the marathon and perhaps therefore did not take it as seriously as desired."
Shortly before 1 p.m., police announced that the danger had passed and restrictions were lifted. One resident, Anja Steen, expressed relief: "It is a huge relief now that we can go out." It remains unclear exactly what the objects were.