Tromsø police warn parents after underage drinking and fights on Constitution Day

Norwegian police reported multiple incidents involving intoxicated minors and physical altercations during Constitution Day celebrations on 17 May, with authorities in Tromsø describing the situation as part of a negative trend.

Tromsø police were called to Storgata after reports of a mass brawl involving an estimated 20 to 30 people, most of them believed to be minors, according to the police log. One person was taken to an emergency clinic after witnesses said they were hit in the head with brass knuckles, the newspaper Dagbladet reported.

Frank Magne Sletten, police station chief in Tromsø, told Dagbladet the incident may have appeared more dramatic than it was. He said it involved two groups of boys with many onlookers, and the time and location amplified attention because large crowds were still celebrating in the city centre.

Sletten said the event must be seen in context of a broader development in which intoxicated young people have become more visible on the national day itself. “We have seen a trend that has developed over years. Earlier it was more the night before 17 May that was challenging, but now the actual day has increasingly become marked by partying and alcohol,” he said.

He added that alcohol has become a more established and accepted part of the celebration. Police responded because so many people were visibly drunk around the children’s parade, which includes families with prams, elderly people, and small children. “When alcohol takes over the visual impression, we in the police think it is very unfortunate,” Sletten said.

According to Sletten, alcohol consumption leads to more public order incidents, violence, and unwanted situations that police must handle, diverting resources from their main task of ensuring general safety on 17 May. He urged parents to take greater responsibility by showing curiosity about where their teenagers are going and how the day develops, and to make clear that Constitution Day should not be a day of drinking and partying for young people.

Tromsø Mayor Gunnar Wilhelmsen also reacted to reports of intoxicated minors and disturbances, telling Dagbladet he saw drunk young people with his own eyes after the civic parade. He announced that the municipality will hold a meeting with police and the 17 May committee to look into possible measures before next year’s celebration. Wilhelmsen said the city will study examples from other towns, such as Fredrikstad, that have introduced steps to limit drinking and unrest on the national day. “Everyone must take responsibility,” he said.