2020 Övlanda riots

The 2020 Övlanda riots, also known as the Wattnsluta riots are a series of  beginning around late September 2020. Thousands of people, mostly and  from each side of the left-right spectrum rose up in riots across towns and cities in Övlanda. There has been widespread, and numerous acts of  against perceived political enemies, as well as deployment of police and significant damages and casualties in some urban areas.

Unrest began in the buildup to the upcoming national elections in a tense political atmosphere that has been repeatedly characterized as "highly precarious". Following the Heavenly Moon Revolution which deposed the military dictatorship of Warg Stįefalk and the outcome of the 2016 elections, which some extremist groups claim was, ethnic Övskan and far-left groups have committed increasingly violent actions against each other, including  of prominent leaders. State forces have been largely unable to quell the situation in the capital city of Övlanda, with government authority effectively disintegrating into a in a few areas.

The government's response to the widespread partisan tension has been physically harsh, with more than 40 deaths and 700 injuries linked to police and military police crackdowns against "politically extreme" rioters. While these actions have helped stabilize the situation, the government has been criticized of brutality, needless loss of human life, and lack of consensus and negotiation.

Background
On September 24 a group of the paramilitary 'Hirdet' organization, the armed wing of the far-right Revolutionary Front (RF), confronted members of the Brothers Party during a political campaigning event in Wattnsluta. It quickly escalated into violence, with over 40 people injured and three killed. The Brothers Party and their political allies threatened "severe consequences [...] if the fascists do not step down", a threat they fulfilled by vandalizing the property of the RF's leader, Karl Stįehon, the next night. The coming morning saw an explosion in violence across the nation.

Timeline
On the morning of September 25 ferocious engagements commenced across towns and cities in the entire country, centered in the major urban areas of ethnically Övska areas. President Asmund Stieknosår quickly ordered a general mobilization of police and military forces to contain the unrest, but was held up the entire day due to communication issues. All day the dramatic engagements between masses of far-right and far-left groups continued to escalate, with the first reports of deaths beginning to circulate on social media websites. At the same time, footage began to reach the wider world as buildings were set on fire, were thrown wildly into crowds and gunshots were heard as the violence spread to other cities such as Skerborg, Skinjau, Kulnuma and Ausby.

The next day across the country, many of which are affiliated with fascist or communist movements, ordered their members to  to enhance their own fighting strength and to protest the government's perceived mishandling of the situation. It was also then police and military forces began to effectively arrive in large numbers to unrest hotspots, causing confrontations and mass arrests of rioters.

By September 27, fear of total anarchy compelled the government to declare in all major cities, and an order to police and military personnel "to shoot [...] all hostile elements to law and order". This quickly resulted in a large rise in the number of deaths and injuries. On September 28, it was confirmed that the national elections slated for October 2020 would be pushed back to at least December. Reports of began to appear around this time, with a disproportionate amount of companies owned by foreigners or people of non-indigenous origin being targeted. Most of these looters were not affiliated with any movement.

In the morning of October 8 the government began a large-scale crackdown of the extremist parties and organizations responsible for the riots. In anticipation of a coordinated response from extremists, all internet and telephone ties in Övlanda were cut off immediately beforehand. The Revolutionary Front, Odinist Bund, Brothers Party and Republican Cooperative were all targeted in the largest law enforcement action since the 2016 revolution. Troops warned that any continued resistance would make them ineligible to stand in the elections as well as the indefinite arrest of their leaders. Of the four involved political parties, two - the Odinist Bund and Republican Cooperative - complied with state demands and urged their members to cease violence. The fascist Revolutionary Front and communist Brothers Party, considered more politically extremist, resisted heavily. Heavy combat ensued over the coming days, but the overall domestic situation had become more stable.

The ensuing over coverage of the events made information gathering and analysis difficult through October. Nevertheless, trickling reports of riot suppression, open confrontations with political extremists, arrests of striking union leaders and have continued to surface.