Dancing in public spaces without a permit is a criminal offence in Sweden

Photo: Getty

Members of the Swedish parliament have voted to keep a controversial law that bans dancing in public spaces.

Owners of public spaces must obtain a dance permit to avoid breaking the law. Bars, clubs, music venues and restaurants without one will be fined if customers ‘dance spontaneously and without permission.’ If dancing does begin, they must ask dancers to leave immediately.

Since 2007, members of the Swedish parliament have sought to abolish the law on more than 17 occasions, the latest of which was overturned this week (March 31).

In 2012 a procession of dancers took to Stockholm’s streets in protest. Speaking in favour of the law, police officer Robert Lindgren explained its importance to Stockholm paper The Local: “The purpose of having a permit for a dance floor is first and foremost a point of safety. It’s known that dance floors lead to more flights, mess, and situations that need police intervention when compared to a normal restaurant environment.”

Nightclub owner Anders Varveus told the Daily Mail he is planning a street-dance protest for August 2015:

“I expect to have around 10,000 people dance in protest to this ridiculous law.”

“How you want to move your own body is not a matter for regulation. What is the definition of dancing? Once you start moving, how do you know when you’ve crossed a line? It’s ludicrous to think stuffy politicians are really the right people to decide this.”

Elsewhere, a Swedish man was recently granted disability benefits after his heavy metal obsession was declared an ‘addiction.’

Roger Tullgren, 42, had consulted a number of doctors who testified that his obsession had indeed become an addiction, meaning he was unable to hold down a full-time job, reports Swedish news site Local, via Global Post.
“I have been trying for 10 years to get this classified as a handicap,” said Tullgren, who sports tattoos and long black hair, according to the article, and attended almost 300 gigs last year. “I spoke to three psychologists and they finally agreed that I needed this to avoid being discriminated against.” He currently has a part time job as a dishwasher at a restaurant in Hassleholm, but this will be supplemented by disability benefits.

Read more at http://www.nme.com/news/various-artists/84141#62K8K506ILoBWs6z.99

Categories: Societal