This week, I received a tip from residents in Skogås about a Roma camp that had been established in the area. According to the tipster, who often walks their dog, a Roma family arrives every evening, drinking alcohol, playing loud music, and spending the night.
To investigate further and ask the questions that ordinary journalists dare not ask, I went to the parking lot. Several white vans were parked there, and about ten men were waiting for the women to finish cutting up meat on a toppled shopping cart. A severely intoxicated elderly man wandered between the cars, shouting incoherent phrases in Swedish, English, and Romanian.
I asked if I could film and interview the family. The younger men were positive and excited about being featured in Swedish media, but the older individuals and the women were not as enthusiastic.
The men explained that they were travelers and had previously been to Norway, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Finland, among other places. They worked by buying and selling copper and other scrap metal. They also did extra jobs as couriers through the Tiptapp app.
One of the men had lived in Sweden on and off for six years. He had received a Swedish personal identification number from the Swedish Migration Agency and hoped to eventually become a citizen. His goal was to start a scrap business and professionalize his work.
Christian Peterson
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