Oslo: Anti-Islam protesters attacked by counter-demonstrators

Oslo: Anti-Islam protesters attacked by counter-demonstrators

Protesters who want to "stop the Islamization of Norway" were attacked on Sunday in the center of Oslo by 15-20 people with a completely different view on the issue.

The police was notified in advance of the legal demonstration that was organized by SIAN, which wants to "stop the Islamization of Norway", but a fight broke out on Egertorget already half an hour before the event was supposed to start.

Police inspector Johan Fredriksen of the Oslo police told VG Nett that the group was attacked by 15-20 people who had a completely different view on the issue, but a more primitive way of communicating.

He didn't want to say which groups the attackers belong to, and says that the police sees the counter-demonstrators as individuals.  One person was lightly injured in the fight, and one person was arrested.  Fredriksen says that though many disagree with the group's ideas, it was a legal demonstration.

The demonstration was called off after the attack against the 10-15 anti-Islam protesters.

Øyvind Heian, head of Norway Patriots (Norgespatriotene) told Dagbladet.no that eggs were thrown at him, he was spitted on and kicked.  Police intervened after he was pushed into a police car and the Blitz activists (anarchist-communist youth movement) surrounded the car.

In recent days the Blitz movement and Red party organized an SMS campaign against the demonstration.  According to one of the organizers of the counter-demonstration Norway Patriots are Nazis whose motives go further than to just show their opposition to Islam.

Both SIAN and Norway Patriots deny they are racist organizations and describe themselves as organizations against immigration to Norway.

Sources: VG 1, 2; Dagbladet (Norwegian)

No comments: