Starting to see a pattern in Scandinavia now. Yesterday, Sweden. Today, Norway.
Muslims use force against freedom of expression in Norway
Translated text:
As in Sweden, Muslims in Norway are provoked by freedom of expression. Last weekend, the leader of the organization Stop the Islamization of Norway (Sian) , Lars Thorsen, was beaten during a speech in Bergen. On Saturday, riots broke out again, this time in Oslo, when counter-protesters attacked the police during and after a demonstration organized by Sian.
One week ago, on August 22, Sian held a square meeting in Bergen, where they talked about what Islam means and what the Koran contains. A large number of people hissed and tried to disturb the speakers. At first, things went relatively smoothly, but the situation escalated as soon as the speaker, Lars Thorsen, leader of Sian, called Muhammad "a false prophet".
Footage of the incident shows how a large number of overseas immigrants climb over police roadblocks and attack. They kick Thorsen down, one of them jumps on his head when he lies down and another throws a stone that hits him in the head. The police intervene but are initially at a disadvantage. Once they manage to disperse the crowd, Thorsen lies bloody on the ground. He was later taken to hospital where he was sewn with three stitches.
Three men in their 20s were arrested for the attack. All are already at large.
Freedom of expression is enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights
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What happened last Saturday was very serious. First and foremost, it was an attack on Thorsen, but it was also an attack on democracy. In Norway, people should not be attacked for what they say. Freedom of expression is enshrined both in the constitution and in Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, says Asbjørn Strandbakken, Professor at the Faculty of Law at the University of Bergen, to Bergens Tidende .
This weekend, Thorsen was on his feet again and Sian held another square meeting last Saturday, this time in the Storting, in Oslo. Once again, listeners were so provoked by their freedom of speech that they resorted to violence. According to NRK, 29 people have been arrested by the police. Most were arrested when several of the protesters attacked police cars in the city center.
Social media shows how a young black man climbs on a police bus, after which other overseas immigrants attack the bus with kicks and kicks.
Several are now vandalizing police cars, while other counter-protesters are trying to stop them. pic.twitter.com/KyNpLfmKWY
- Filter News (@FilterNews) August 29, 2020
The task of the police is to ensure freedom of expression
NRK interviews a Muslim youth named Kalifa. He believes that freedom of expression should not include criticism of Islam.
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This is not freedom of speech. They cross the border and say ugly things about my faith, Islam. That is not correct, he says.
Police attorney Kai Spurkland at the police headquarters in Oslo is of a different opinion and tells Nettavisen that the police's task is to ensure that all parties have the same opportunities to express themselves through demonstrations and at the same time ensure general peace, order and security.
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Sian has a provocative form and a controversial message, which makes it more demanding for the police to handle this, but our task is to make it easier for them to complete their square meeting, says Spurkland.
"Government must take responsibility for immigration policy"
Sian's purpose is "to oppose, stop and reverse the Islamization of Norway".
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We relate professionally to this. That they choose a provocative form does not release us from the responsibility to protect them and their right to express themselves, he says.
Lars Thorsen believes that Sian's message is not controversial at all.
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There is nothing provocative about what I said in Bergen. It must be possible to account for the actual conditions about Islam and immigration, says Thorsen and claims that the government must take responsibility for immigration policy.
sauce: (in swedish) https://samnytt.se/muslimer-tar-till-vald-mot-yttrandefriheten-i-norge/