Police in Sweden's West Region have announced an intensified effort against criminal risk supporters in football, identifying approximately 30 individuals connected to around 100 criminal suspicions. The operation targets what authorities describe as a small but highly problematic group responsible for a wide spectrum of offenses both during matches and outside football events.

According to police statements, several individuals have previous convictions for serious crimes including violence against women, drug offenses, economic crimes, attempted aggravated extortion, public destruction, and weapons offenses. Senior Prosecutor Mats Ihlbom emphasized that these investigations involve individuals engaged in multi-criminal activities rather than just minor offenses related to football matches.

Police are particularly concerned about attempts to involve minors in criminal activities. "We take especially seriously attempts to socialize young people into criminality," said Emelie Kullmyr, police area chief in Greater Gothenburg. Authorities are working closely with other agencies, municipalities, schools, and social services to identify warning signs and prevent youth from being drawn into criminal networks.

Current investigations include cases of aggravated assault, tax crimes, and violations of laws concerning flammable and explosive substances. Police have noted connections to criminal networks, motorcycle gangs, and violence-promoting political extremism. Kullmyr described the situation as "a dark cloud over football" that requires action to remove criminal elements from the sport while ensuring all young people can safely attend matches.

Finnair is gradually restoring its Airbus A321 fleet to service after an uncertified cleaning procedure forced the grounding of eight aircraft. The airline confirmed that seat covers were washed with water, a method not properly certified to ensure fire protection standards were maintained. This safety concern prompted the removal of the affected aircraft from service, leading to operational disruptions across Finnair's European network.

The situation began improving over the weekend as Finnair started installing new seat covers on the grounded aircraft. The first A321 returned to service on Sunday, operating a flight from Helsinki to Rhodes. However, seven aircraft remain out of service with no confirmed timeline for their full return. The A321s typically seat approximately 200 passengers and are crucial for Finnair's European route operations.

The grounding has resulted in significant passenger disruptions, with Finnair implementing extensive rebooking procedures. On Sunday alone, approximately 460 passengers were moved to different flights due to aircraft downgrades. The airline has prioritized high-frequency routes such as Helsinki-Stockholm and Helsinki-London, ensuring alternative options are available. In some cases, Finnair has used smaller replacement aircraft and offered incentives for volunteers to switch flights.

To manage the capacity shortfall, Finnair has wet-leased two aircraft with crews from Danish carrier DAT since Wednesday. While flight cancellations have decreased to single digits in recent days, with some days passing without any cancellations, the airline acknowledges that irregularities may continue through the coming week. Finnair is providing accommodation and compensation to affected passengers in accordance with EU air passenger rights regulations as it works to fully resolve the operational challenges.