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Sweden allows culture and sports events for up to 300 people

The Local Sweden
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Sweden allows culture and sports events for up to 300 people
Oslo NYa Teater in Oslo. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum

Sweden has relaxed its 50-person limit for seated sports and cultural events, opening the way for theatre performances, concerts and small sports crowds of more than 300. At the same time, it tightened restrictions on nightclubs.

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Event organisers in the culture and sports sector have shown a clear wish to take responsibility for making the arrangements, now they will get the opportunity to take that responsibility," Sweden's sports and culture minister Amanda Lind, said, announcing the measure at a press conference on Thursday evening. 
 
Event organisers will need to ensure that all members of the public are seated at least one metre from one another, although groups of two will be able to sit closer together. 
 
The new rules will come into force on November 1st. 
 
At the same time, the government imposed new restrictions on nightclubs which will limit the number of people inside to 50 at any one time. 
 
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Sweden's prime minister Stefan Löfven said that the photographs and videos circulating in recent weeks of crowded nightclub dance floors showed "no respect" for the medical staff working hard to treat coronavirus patients. 
 
"It's the end of the party for nightclubs, and that's how it's going to be for however long it takes," he said. 
 
"Too many shortfalls, too much crowding has been reported too many times from nightclubs. We've got health workers toiling day and night, and it shows no respect that at the same time, these people have to open the newspapers and see pictures of packed dance floors," he said.
 
Sweden's government had previously planned to allow seated events of up to 500 people from October 15th, but delayed the measure after seeing a rise in the number of coronavirus cases.
 
The government also proposed that the temporary law requiring restaurants and bars to limit crowding and offer table service only be extended by five months until May next year. 
 
At the same time, the government wants to change the law to limit the number of people allowed to sit together to jsut eight. 

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