Football: Sweden To Step Up Security After Larsson Targeted

STOCKHOLM, , (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Nov, 2016 ) - Security must be stepped up at football stadiums across Sweden after former international Henrik Larsson and his son were targeted by angry Helsingborg fans who stormed the pitch, the government said Monday.

Masked supporters attacked Jordan Larsson and attempted to confront Helsingborg head coach Henrik after the club suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Halmstad to relegate them to the Swedish second division on Sunday.

After the final whistle several Helsingborg fans dressed in black invaded the pitch and ripped off the younger Larsson's jersey.

Swedish Interior Minister Anders Ygeman called the scenes "deplorable".

"Those who invade the field must not be there, the stewards must stop them and they must be banned from stadiums," Ygeman told SVT public television. There have been several similar incidents in the Swedish league this year.

In August, a spectator got on the pitch in the middle of a Jonkoping-Ostersund match to attack the visiting goalkeeper. And in April a game between IFK Gothenburg and Malmo was stopped when objects were lobbed at a Malmo player.