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Have you heard of the 'Stockholm Syndrome'? Supposedly it's about hostages bonding emotionally with their captors. The name derives from an incident in the capital of Sweden, Stockholm, in 1973.
This is - more or less - a true story.
The most accurate photo of Nils Bejerot available on the internet
A wolf in sheep's clothing
A wolf in sheep's clothing
Introducing Nils Bejerot. When you hear and read about Nils Bejerot you can't stop wondering how on earth this guy could be allowed anywhere near people, let alone treat them medically. He doesn't seem to have any care about the health of other people.
Sounds like the perfect man to consult a hostage negotiation? The Stockholm police thought so in 1973 when a bank robbery went haywire, due to the police being incompetent with great help of Nils Bejerot. He was a Psychiatrist and heavily involved in drug-policy making in Sweden during the 60's until his death. Furthermore, he was used by the Swedish Police as a medical expert on several topics.
When you read about his politics and work, he seems to be wrong about pretty much everything he did. Somehow he managed to be a part of the Swedish elite for most of his adult life, and has influenced the fate of many people - in a bad way.
The party starts now
The party starts now
By Scandinavian standards an epic bank robbery happened in 1973. One guy started shooting and took 3-4 hostages inside the bank. He had some demands: money, a fast car, and Clark Olofsson (a famous Swedish criminal) released from prison and brought to the bank.
The police were very aggressive, and had a wild west approach to the situation. After a few stupid attempts to shoot the robbers, which ended up in minimum two police officers being shot, they had to re-evaluate the tactics.
The police chose to bring the notorious criminal, Clark Olofsson, to take care of business for them. So he was brought out of prison to help his captors stop this hostage situation. So Clark Olofsson entered the bank.
During the first couple days of the robbery, the police kept live-updating the Swedish population about every incident, and every move they were going to do next. Perhaps it had not occured to the police, that the robbers might be listening to a public radio channel inside the bank. Perhaps they were playing mind games?
I can highly recommend the Swedish documentary series about the bank robbery 'Kriminalarkivet: Norrmalmstorgsdramat'.
Brothers in arms
Brothers in arms
They were convinced that the robber was Kaj Hansson, a young and notorious bank robber in Sweden at the time. So on the second day Bejerot got a brilliant idea. Bring in the 17-year old younger brother of Kaj to plea with the robber. The brother arrives, and Bejerot wants to send him into the bank to the robber, to talk him into giving up. The 17-year old didn't like it but agreed - it's the police and their experts asking, so they will protect him you'd think. When he enters the bank he is met with shots from the robbers, which barely misses him. He quickly escapes - good for him. However, Bejerot convinced him to go back in and just identify himself as his brother. He tried again, and the robbers shot at him again and told him to fuck off. The younger brother is then put on the phone with the robber, and it occurs to him that it is not his brother. He tells the police that they are out of their mind, and escapes.
The police did not tell the public about this incident and brilliantly executed idea in the many, many interviews on the day.
Soon after Kaj Hansson called Swedish police from the United States, and told them it's not him since he is in America.. I believe he was actually on the run at the time, but apparantly it was more important to him not to be blamed for the hostage incident. Job well done *clap*
Yes, this is actually - more or less - a true story.
(incompetence + power) * humiliation = danger
(incompetence + power) * humiliation = danger
The police is aggressive and their incompetence has been slapped in their face - in public - time after time the last few days. They take extreme measures, and send SWAT teams in with drills and gas to make the robbers give up, which they soon do.
During the whole situation, the police has seemed like the dangerous part in this event, to the hostages. They have been deadly scared time after time, because of the police tactics and incompetence. When looking back at the situation you can clearly see why the hostages were scared of the police instead of the captors. The police WAS the danger.
At the same time the robbers do not appear dangerous, and actually start cooperating with the hostages to get out of there. The hostages are taking advantage of this situation, as they want to get out of there as soon as possible as well in good health. Clark is well connected and charismatic, and uses his media contacts to contact newspapers and the Swedish Prime Minister, Olof Palme, with whom one of the hostages had a 45 min conversation, during her captivity.
Palme is an old intelligence man, and a famous politician who has no problems lying to the public. He supports the police, and if the hostages die, well they died while doing their job and should be proud. Such a nice Social-democratic opinion.
Diagnosing incompetence
Diagnosing incompetence
When the situation ends, and the hostages were released, they kept acting scared of the police. The police couldn't understand how they - the good guys - were not treated as heroes by the released hostages. The same goes for the consultant Nils Bejerot. He successfully spread the rumour that they have been diagnosed with something later known as the 'Stockholm Syndrome'. The term comes from this incident. Apparantly he was able to diagnose these people without having treated them himself, or even talked to them about the incident.
Nils Bejerot blamed the hostages, and backed up his colleagues the police for their good work. The crime reporter expert on the TV show 'Kriminalarkivet' argues that the hostages acted in self interest, and that what they did was trying to better their situation the best way they could. He also argues that both the Police, politicians and Nils Bejerot etc., did not do a job well done to say the least.
You can speculate as to what Bejerot's motives were to do this: Incompetence, competence, stupidity or is he being smart? Who is he working for and what is the agenda? I ask these questions because of the context Sweden's history during the Cold War especially. So many crazy things have happened in Sweden, and it seems like it is a country of opposites, secret societies, and numb public servants caring more about their career than the truth.
You gotta wonder what happened to all the other people who got in Bejerot's way during his long career.
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