NEW YORK -- Officers of New York’s much-derided police force were given a European lesson in urban law enforcement on Thursday when four Swedish cops on vacation stepped in to break up a fight on the Subway.
As pointed out by users of social media, the incident provided a stark contrast with the horrific scene that saw Eric Garner fatally subdued by New York’s finest in 2014, the Swedish officers -- Samuel Kvarzell, Markus Asberg, Eric Jansberger and Erik Naslund -- showing how to restrain violent suspects without injuring them.
First reported by the New York Post, the aftermath of the fight, which was videoed by a passenger on the train, shows the two suspects being restrained and reassured.
One man is held face down; the other is seated on the floor. In the film officers can be heard asking the men how they feel. “I can’t breathe,” shouts the man pinned to the floor and "you’re hurting my arms!” The officers then adjusts his grip. "Take it easy,” one Swede says repeatedly, adding: “Sir, calm down, OK? Everything is going to be OK.”
The Swedish officers remained with the men until the local police arrived to take them into custody. Speaking to the NYP, one of the officers said: "We came here for vacation; we’ve been here one day. We’re no heroes, just tourists."
On Thursday evening, the four Europeans met with Police Commissioner Bratton and members of the NYPD Transit Bureau who thanked the men for jumping into the action on the train.
Eric Garner
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A demonstrator cries while gathering in Philadelphia to protest the Eric Garner grand jury decision during a Christmas Tree lighting ceremony at City Hall December 3, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Organizers called for the demonstration after a grand jury in the Staten Island borough of New York City declined to indict the police officer who used a chokehold on Garner, resulting in his death. (Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images) (credit:Mark Makela/Getty Images)
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Demonstrators gather in Philadelphia to protest the Eric Garner grand jury decision during a Christmas Tree lighting ceremony at City Hall December 3, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Organizers called for the demonstration after a grand jury in the Staten Island borough of New York City declined to indict the police officer who used a chokehold on Garner, resulting in his death. (Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images) (credit:Mark Makela/Getty Images)
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People march along Market Street as they participate in a demonstration, Wednesday Dec. 3, 2014, in Philadelphia. The crowd, protesting the deaths of two unarmed black men at the hands of police, rallied at the train station and marched through downtown before disrupting a tree lighting ceremony at City Hall. (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek) (credit:Joseph Kaczmarek/AP)
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People march with their hands in the air as they participate in a demonstration on Wednesday Dec. 3, 2014, in Philadelphia. The crowd, protesting the deaths of two unarmed black men at the hands of police, rallied at the train station and marched through downtown before disrupting a tree lighting ceremony at City Hall. (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek) (credit:Joseph Kaczmarek/AP)
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Demonstrators gather in Philadelphia to protest the Eric Garner grand jury decision during a Christmas Tree lighting ceremony at City Hall December 3, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Organizers called for the demonstration after a grand jury in the Staten Island borough of New York City declined to indict the police officer who used a chokehold on Garner, resulting in his death. (Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images) (credit:Mark Makela/Getty Images)
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Protesters take to the streets in San Francisco, CA. (credit:ZachReisler/Twitter)
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Philly protests for Eric Garner on Dec. 3, 2014. (credit:kateagoodman/Twitter)
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Maya Malika of Oakland confronts a line of police officers during a demonstration following a Staten Island, New York grand jury's decision not to indict a police officer in the chokehold death of Eric Garner on December 3, 2014 in Oakland, California. The grand jury declined to indict New York City Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo in Garner's death. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images) (credit:Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
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Tyreece Sherrill of Oakland confronts a line of police officers during a demonstration following a Staten Island, New York grand jury's decision not to indict a police officer in the chokehold death of Eric Garner on December 3, 2014 in Oakland, California. The grand jury declined to indict New York City Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo in Garner's death. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images) (credit:Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
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Protesters march up Broadway during a demonstration following a Staten Island, New York grand jury's decision not to indict a police officer in the chokehold death of Eric Garner on December 3, 2014 in Oakland, California. The grand jury declined to indict New York City Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo in Garner's death. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images) (credit:Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
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Regina Bates of Oakland speaks during a demonstration following a Staten Island, New York grand jury's decision not to indict a police officer in the chokehold death of Eric Garner on December 3, 2014 in Oakland, California. The grand jury declined to indict New York City Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo in Garner's death. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images) (credit:Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
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Children in a window watch protesters march by during a demonstration following a Staten Island, New York grand jury's decision not to indict a police officer in the chokehold death of Eric Garner on December 3, 2014 in Oakland, California. The grand jury declined to indict New York City Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo in Garner's death. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images) (credit:Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
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Police impede march down Broadway in Oakland CA. (credit:Michael McLaughlin/Huffington Post)
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Protesters march in Oakland CA. (credit:JimiDevine/Twitter)
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Protestors block the road during a protest after two grand juries decided not to indict the police officers involved in the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. and Eric Garner in New York, N.Y. in Washington, D.C. on December 3, 2014. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
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Demonstrators block traffic at K Street and Vermont Avenue, NW, during a protest against a New York grand jury decision December 3, 2014 in Washington, DC. The grand jury has decided not to indict police officer Daniel Pantaleo for the death of unarmed black man Eric Garner after putting him in a chokehold. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (credit:Alex Wong/Getty Images)
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Protestors block the road during a protest after two grand juries decided not to indict the police officers involved in the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. and Eric Garner in New York, N.Y. in Washington, D.C. on December 3, 2014. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
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Protestors block the road during a protest after two grand juries decided not to indict the police officers involved in the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. and Eric Garner in New York, N.Y. in Washington, D.C. on December 3, 2014. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
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Demonstrators block traffic at K Street and Vermont Avenue, NW, during a protest against a New York grand jury decision December 3, 2014 in Washington, DC. The grand jury has decided not to indict police officer Daniel Pantaleo for the death of unarmed black man Eric Garner after putting him in a chokehold. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (credit:Alex Wong/Getty Images)
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Protesters march to Dupont Circle in Washington, DC. (credit:Diane Jeanty/Huffington Post)
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Protesters march to Dupont Circle in Washington, DC. (credit:Diane Jeanty/Huffington Post)
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Protesters march to Dupont Circle in Washington, DC. (credit:Diane Jeanty/Huffington Post)
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Protesters march to Dupont Circle in Washington, DC. (credit:Diane Jeanty/Huffington Post)
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Protesters march to Dupont Circle in Washington, DC. (credit:Diane Jeanty/Huffington Post)
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Demonstrators block traffic at Dupont Circle during a protest against a New York grand jury decision December 3, 2014 in Washington, DC. The grand jury has decided not to indict police officer Daniel Pantaleo for the death of unarmed black man Eric Garner after putting him in a chokehold. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (credit:Alex Wong/Getty Images)
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Demonstrators march through traffic during a protest against a New York grand jury decision December 3, 2014 in Washington, DC. The grand jury has decided not to indict police officer Daniel Pantaleo for the death of unarmed black man Eric Garner after putting him in a chokehold. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (credit:Alex Wong/Getty Images)
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Protesters march down Crenshaw Blvd. in Los Angeles, CA. (credit:Celeste_A1varezn/Twitter)
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Protesters march down Crenshaw Blvd. in Los Angeles, CA. (credit:Celeste_A1varezn/Twitter)
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Protesters take to the streets in St. Louis, MO. (credit:TheOnlyAbrahama/Twitter)
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Protesters at University of Mississippi on December 3, 2014. (credit:naturose/Instagram)
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Protesters at 30th Street Station in Philadephia on December 3, 2014. (credit:justgregpoet/Instagram)
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Protesters at American University on December 3, 2014. (credit:ecgeier/Instagram)
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Protesters at American University on December 3, 2014. (credit:Christa_McDade/Twitter)
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Protester at Western Michigan University on December 3, 2014. (credit:alreevesz/Instagram)
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Students at North Carolina State University protest on December 3, 2014. (credit:thisisaditi/Instagram)
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Students at the University of Alabama protest on December 3, 2014. (credit:alri23/Instagram)
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Students at University of Miami School of Law protest on December 3, 2014. (credit:naturaleedee/Instagram)
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Protesters at the University of Miami School of Law on December 3, 2014. (credit:@perfect_harmony8 (Kemi Ijitimehin)/Instagram)