Kriget mellan supportrar och Polismyndigheten

Sammanfattning: This paper examines the relationship between Swedish football supporters and regulating policies from the police authorities. The main aim is to understand the supporters point of view regarding their role within the swedish football’s structure, and determine what makes them feel threatened by policies, as well as to shed light to the consequences from policy-application. This is done from interviews with supporters and other related actors, as well as examination of the policies. By comparing empirical results with sociological and anthropological theories and concepts regarding group identity and belonging such as communitas and ”We and Us”, we aim to describe why, and in what way supporters feel threatened by policies. The paper's discussion is structured around document-analysis of Villkorstrappan and the newer policy document, followed by a description of the supporter´s view of their role in Swedish football. This enables a discussion of the discrepancy between supporters and the policy-consequences. Supporters see themselves as the main part of Swedish football, and experience a sense of power from the unique 51%- regeln. Supporters perceive the policies as threatening in a power struggle where the Swedish structure of football brings power to the supporters, and the police restrict this with the policies.