Norway’s Constitution Day marred by public drunkenness and violent clashes

Norway’s celebrations of its national day on May 17 were overshadowed by widespread public intoxication, brawls, and disturbances, with police and emergency services stretched into the early hours, reports Dagbladet.

By 1:30 AM, Oslo police operations leader Roy Langengen confirmed that officers were still responding to ongoing fights across the capital. “The celebrations aren’t over yet,” he told the newspaper. In Western Norway, police reported a similar surge in incidents, with operational leader Jan Børge Misje noting that disturbances had persisted “well into the night.”

Misje acknowledged that the scale of disorder aligned with recent trends. “We’ve seen this type of problem escalate over the past few years,” he said, though he declined to specify whether the situation had exceeded expectations.

Emergency services overwhelmed

Hospitals and ambulance crews faced unprecedented demand, much of it tied to underage drinking. Bergen’s emergency clinic treated numerous minors incapacitated by alcohol, according to medical director Arild Iversen. “It’s unfortunate that we’re spending resources on otherwise healthy young people who’ve simply drunk too much,” Iversen told Bergensavisen, calling the trend “how May 17th has unfortunately become.”

Oslo’s ambulance service declared capacity breaches, prioritising only life-threatening cases. “Those not at immediate risk are redirected to clinics or relatives,” press officer Ivar Greiner told Avisa Oslo, comparing the volume to a typical weekend night. Police in the capital reported late-night brawls, including an unconscious victim at Youngstorget and further clashes in Grønland.

Violence spreads beyond major cities

Disturbances extended far beyond Oslo and Bergen. In Stavanger, two individuals were injured—one with suspected knife wounds—after a midnight brawl at the central bus terminal; two arrests followed. Trondheim police detained a man in his 20s for threatening security staff at a venue, while in Drammen, a heavily intoxicated woman in her 40s was taken into custody after refusing to cooperate with bouncers. Lillestrøm authorities reported a man in his 50s exposing himself after being ejected from a bar.

Langengen urged parents to monitor underage drinking, noting that daylong consumption frequently fuels late-night disorder. “When people drink all day, it inevitably leads to disturbances,” he said, though he stressed that most celebrations proceeded without major incident.

The unrest drew international attention, with Sweden’s Aftonbladet headline declaring, “Total chaos on Norway’s May 17th,” highlighting brawls—including a 20-person fight at a Bergen Burger King—as emblematic of the nationwide disorder.