Police in Norway intervened to stop multiple fights at a sold-out concert with hundreds of people present Saturday night. The incident occurred during a performance by Tobias Sten in Etne. Operasjonsleder Helene Strand with the Southwest Police District confirmed that brawls broke out both at the entrance and inside the venue itself.
"Security guards and police are trying to get an overview and control, but it is very difficult because it is so crowded with people," Strand said in a statement. Authorities reported that the situation calmed down shortly after their intervention.
Concert Warnings Issued Earlier
Police had issued a public warning earlier in the evening, specifically addressing parents and teenagers. They reminded the public that the event had an 18-year age limit and stated it was not desirable for minors to be in the area around the venue.
"Experience shows that this leads to unpleasant situations and public disturbances. We ask parents and young people for help in following up on this," Strand wrote in the police log prior to the event. The direct appeal to guardians highlights proactive efforts to prevent trouble before it started. The police strategy of early communication aimed to manage crowd composition and reduce risk factors known from past gatherings.
Separate Incidents Across the Region
The concert disturbance was not the only incident requiring emergency response in the region that night. In a separate case, one person was reported for being offensive and verbally harassing others on Torget, a central square. Two men, aged 28 and 31, were banned from the city center for the rest of the night, according to Operasjonsleder Ole Ronny Olsen.
Meanwhile, the fire service was busy with several blazes. They responded to a terrain fire near Liaros in Samnanger, which started when a bonfire got out of control. Brannvesenet had good control over that fire, according to Vaktleder Tore Fanebust.
Another fire was reported in an excavator in Mustadbakken on Knarrevik in Øygarden. No injuries were reported from that incident. Earlier in the day, the fire service received many calls about terrain fires in Øygarden related to licensed heather burning, a controlled practice to manage old growth.
Broader Public Health Advisory
In a related development, the University of Bergen advised all employees to work from home starting Monday due to poor air quality in the city. This recommendation applied to staff who could not walk, cycle, or use public transport to work and who did not have tasks that required a physical presence on campus. The advisory, issued via a press release, indicates broader environmental concerns affecting daily life alongside the night's acute emergency responses.
The series of events paints a picture of a busy night for Southwest Norway's emergency services. They dealt with public disorder at a major cultural event, anti-social behavior in a city center, and multiple fire hazards across the region. The police approach combined a reactive intervention at the concert with a proactive, public communication campaign earlier in the day.