+ What has happened?
Since 2017, there has been a ban on masking on football stands in the men's allsvenskan and superettan. Both the police and the associations see masking as a way for individuals to avoid responsibility for other criminal actions, such as igniting pyrotechnics.
Now, the police have nationally issued a directive that in the clubs' event permits, a new condition requirement should be introduced that matches should be interrupted in the event of unauthorized organized masking. The match can only be resumed when the masking ceases. According to the police, it is a test in the next two rounds.
+ What is meant by organized masking?
In MFF's event permit for Saturday's home match against Djurgården, the police state in a footnote that "masking in organized form refers, for example, to a group that jointly takes measures to make identification more difficult". This can involve hiding one's face with, for example, a "balaklava". It can happen when "a group of people hold up flags or pieces of fabric to mask themselves behind them".
+ The match is stopped
If, for example, MFF believes that there is organized masking in the stands during the match against Djurgården, the game should be interrupted. The individuals who have masked themselves are urged - via the loudspeaker system and the large screen - to stop doing so. The appeal may need to be repeated if the masking continues. Neither the police nor the security personnel employed by MFF will intervene against masking in the stands.
+ A match meeting is held
A match meeting is held with representatives from the two clubs, the interest organization Swedish Elite Football (Set) and the police. Then, a decision is made to either "take further measures to get the masking to stop, or a decision can be made to interrupt the match and end the event", MFF writes on its website.
+ The event can be interrupted
If new measures are taken but no change occurs, a new match meeting is held. If the match meeting then comes to the conclusion that "less interventionist measures will not be enough to stop the masking", a decision is made to interrupt the match and end the event. Then, the spectators are urged to leave the arena.
+ Play in front of empty stands
A decision on when the match can be resumed is made after the event has ended. The remaining time of the match is played in front of empty stands.
+ When does an event begin?
Malmö FF–Djurgården kicks off at 15.00 on Saturday, but the event is considered to have begun when the entrance opens at 13.00. If there is organized masking already then in the arena and the organizer cannot get the problem under control, the event can be ended before the match has even started.
+ Can be reported to the police
If the police believe that an association has not acted on something that the police consider to be organized masking, a police report can be filed. This can lead to prosecution for a crime against the Public Order Act. The police report is directed in such cases against an individual in the association who is responsible for the permit.
