DISINFO: Crime-infested no-go zones exist in multiple European countries
SUMMARY
Crime-infested “no-go” zones, where police and businesses are too afraid to venture, exist now in several European countries. Sweden appears to have had it the worst, as major cities in the country, including Stockholm, Malmö and Gothenburg, have such areas.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative linking migrants and asylum seekers in the EU to violent crime. The report provides no evidence in support of these claims and names no specific European countries aside from Sweden. There are no such zones in Sweden. The country's Police Authority publishes a biennial report on what it terms "vulnerable areas" suffering from elevated rates of crime, poverty, and unemployment, but has made clear "it is not the case that the police do not go into them." In 2019, 60 such areas have been identified, with both law enforcement and the media acknowledging "positive trends" in their socioeconomic situation.