Fireworks taint New Year celebrations in Scandinavia

Several people were injured by fireworks in Denmark, Sweden and Norway during the New Year festivities.

Around 500 young party-goers broke into a store in central Copenhagen when a New Year’s celebration got out of control. About 50 people were arrested as a bonfire was lit and stones thrown at the police.

The number of small fires during New Year’s celebrations was up from a year ago, according to Falck, a Danish rescue service company. The number of injuries caused by fireworks had decreased, although a serious incident caused a young man to receive a blow to the eye with a firework.

A 16-year-old Swede was seriously injured by a firework in Karskrona.

King Harald of Norway and Queen Margrethe of Denmark both addressed the changing times in their New Year’s Eve speeches.