Photographer exhibits images from 2013 Husby riots

Thirteen years after the Husby riots, photographer Alexander Mahmoud is showcasing images from the tumultuous days that followed a police shooting. The exhibition, opening September 3 at Kulturhuset Stadsteatern Husby, coincides with the premiere of the play "Upploppet" (The Riot).

Mahmoud's photographs capture moments from the unrest that erupted in May 2013 after police fatally shot a 69-year-old man in his Husby apartment. The police operation faced criticism, and in the following nights, cars were set ablaze and stones were thrown at emergency services.

"Stories only happen if there is someone who has the ability to retell them, and that is my job," Mahmoud said. He acknowledged that exhibiting these news images might further associate Husby with the riots but expressed hope that his other journalistic work over the past thirteen years also represents the area. He also finds it exciting that the events are being explored in a play, which he hopes is complex and multifaceted.

Reflecting on his role as a press photographer during the riots, Mahmoud recalled feeling unwelcome by both the police and the rioters. "As a press photographer, you are almost never liked by anyone," he said. "The police don't like you, they think you are in the way. The people who threw stones and burned cars don't like us either." He remembers the pervasive feeling of people asking, "What are you doing here? Get out!"

Mahmoud believes images convey information more subtly than text, allowing viewers to form their own interpretations. "Pictures are better at just registering events," he explained, contrasting this with text, which he can endlessly revise. He often uses the phrase, "Stories only happen if there is someone..." to describe his work, emphasizing the crucial role of documentation.