Suspicious object found in Uppsala prompts bomb alert
A bomb alert shut down part of central Uppsala after police found a suspicious object. The discovery forced a marathon to reroute and required evacuations. Authorities have now cleared the scene and lifted all security measures.
Authorities issued a public bomb alert in Uppsala, Sweden on Saturday morning. Police discovered a suspicious object outdoors in the Svartbäcken area of central Uppsala.
The object was assessed as live explosive material. A large security perimeter was established around the discovery site. Residents in nearby buildings were evacuated for their safety.
How did this affect local events? A marathon race had to quickly reroute its course away from the secured area. Traffic throughout central Uppsala experienced major disruptions during the investigation.
Police and national bomb disposal experts examined multiple objects at the scene. They completed their technical investigation and forensic work by early afternoon. All security barriers were removed around 2:30 PM.
The public warning system alert, known in Sweden as VMA (Viktigt Meddelande till Allmänheten), was lifted later that afternoon. All suspicious items will undergo laboratory analysis.
Race organizer Mohamed Hasan told reporters earlier in the day they would need to change the marathon route. The incident demonstrates how quickly security concerns can disrupt public events in urban areas. Such bomb scares remain relatively uncommon in Swedish cities but require immediate police response when they occur.