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Norwegian Defence League

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Norwegian Defence League
AbbreviationNDL
Formation2010
Location
  • Norway
Websitenorwegiandl.info

The Norwegian Defence League (NDL) is a Norwegian anti-Islamic[1][2][3][4] group closely associated with the English Defence League (EDL).[1][2] The NDL was formed around New Year 2010/2011, inspired by the EDL which had been formed in 2009. There were conflicts regarding the leadership of the group, and it was immersed in a struggle involving multiple competing factions in early 2011. The group was eventually led by Lena Andreassen for about a month until she was dismissed following a failed[citation needed] demonstration that was held on April 9, 2011. The NDL has been headed by a board of administrators since then, and one of its leading figures has been Ronny Alte. Alte said that the group is not far-right or racist and that the NDL seeks to gather people of all races to fight for democracy and freedom of speech, which he said is threatened by "the ideology Islam." He also said that the group is not anti-Islam, but Islam-critical.[3] Alte resigned abruptly both as leader and member of the NDL on April 19, 2012 over a dispute with the rest of the organization's leadership related to its connection with Anders Behring Breivik.[5] Following Alte's resignation the NDL website was taken offline. A new website, with the old layout, has appeared at a .info address rather than the old one which was a .com address.

History

The role of Anders Behring Breivik in founding the organization

In December 2009 Anders Behring Breivik, the self-admitted perpetrator of the 2011 Norway attacks, proposed a group similar to the English Defence League in a forum post.[6][7] It is not known[8] whether Breivik was in fact part of establishing the organization, although it has been claimed that he was.[9] Whether Breivik actually was a member of the Norwegian Defence League is also debated, as Breivik is said to deny it.[10] Three of the organization's past leaders said he was a member.[11][3][12]

Formation

The NDL was formed by inspiration of the English Defence League (which was founded in 2009)[13] around New Year 2010/2011.[4] In February 2011, 22-year-old Remi Huseby from Haugesund emerged as the spokesperson of the NDL in connection with an EDL rally in Luton, England.[14][15][16] At this point the group was immersed in conflict, as according to newspaper Dagbladet, reportedly "Nazi sympathizers, nationalists and more moderate Islam-opponents" competed over the leadership of the group.[14] On February 28, the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) announced it was watching the NDL, which it defined as an "extreme right group."[14] The PST feared that a rise in activism among anti-Islamic groups, especially in online social media, would cause more xenophobia in the public discourse, and that this in turn would lead to polarization within and between extreme political movements. The PST also expressed fear that such increased activity could lead to more violence, particularly in connection with political rallies.[17] On March 1, Huseby withdrew from the group as he said it had been "couped by Nazis."[14]

Later in the month, on March 19, Lena Andreassen became the leader of the group after an internal power-struggle.[18] Having announced in an interview six days earlier that she sought to rid the group of neo-Nazis,[19] she stated in April that such supporters of the group had now been weeded out after an internal "Nazi hunt".[13][20] She said that she had cooperated with the Oslo police to get rid of "unwanted persons", and that she had close contacts with PST.[19] Although in the start-up phase, she announced that the group sought to establish so-called "divisions" in various Norwegian cities; newspaper iTromsø said that a soon-to-resign sergeant in the Home Guard Task Force was "central" in the effort in Tromsø,[21] although Andreassen denied he was anything more than a regular member.[22] By April 1, it was reported that the group had in excess of 300 supporters on its Facebook page.[21]

Andreassen stated that the NDL is not against regular Muslims, but only "the fundamentalist groups",[23] and said that the NDL has Muslim members.[24] She has said that the NDL also opposes radical Norwegian extreme right groups.[22] Both Andreassen and former spokesperson Remi Huseby has previously joined the EDL for demonstrations in England.[22][25] A demonstration was announced for March 26 on the group's web pages. Permission from the police to protest was never sought, and the leader, Andreassen, warned members against taking part.[26]

Protest on April 9, 2011

On April 9, the day of the anniversary of the German invasion of Norway in 1940, the NDL organised a protest against what it called a "Muslim occupation of Norway" at Akershus Fortress in Oslo.[27] Before the demonstration was held, both the NDL and the police confirmed that the NDL was under threat from both extreme left and extreme right groups, the latter due to their expulsion from the group.[28] The demonstration failed to gather more than a dozen supporters, while a representative of the EDL held a guest appeal.[20][28] Then-leader Lena Andreassen also gave a speech to the NDL protesters who had turned up. At the same time, an anti-racist counter-protest at Jernbanetorget nearby gathered between 700 and 1,000 people.[20] The police later stated that both demonstrations had been peaceful, and without clashes.[29]

Four days after the demonstration, on 13 April, the EDL broke its ties with the NDL's then-present leadership. Lena Andreassen and her leadership was subsequently thrown out of the group.[30][31] Andreassen would then resign her membership completely.[32] Following the failed demonstration, Ronny Alte, a high school teacher from Stokke, Vestfold, was announced as the new leader of the NDL.[26] He stated in an interview in August that ever since the leadership struggle earlier that year, the organization has been led by five administrators (including Alte), supported by the leadership of the EDL. Alte said that the organization distances itself from any use of violence, and he also asserted that it has become a gentler organization than under its previous leadership. He also maintained that the NDL supports the nation of Israel.[3]

Leadership controlled by anti-racism activists

On March 11, 2012 Norwegian tabloid Dagbladet said that during 2010 and until the spring of 2011 the leadership of the NDL was infiltrated by members of the left-wing group SOS Rasisme. Several anonymous sources told the newspaper that the anti-racists in fact were in majority on the board. One of the sources, and an SOS Rasisme member, was one of the NDL board members. Another SOS Rasisme member whom the sources alleged to have been an NDL board member denied the claims. The anti-racists were using false identities and were reporting directly back to SOS Rasisme. According to the newspaper, Lena Andreassen who was leader of the NDL in the spring of 2011 didn't know about the infiltration. Ronny Alte, NDL spokesperson as of March 2011, confirmed they had come to realize that there were infiltrators in the NDL in 2011.[33]

Membership of Anders Behring Breivik

Following the 2011 Norway attacks on 22 July, it was revealed that the admitted terrorist Anders Behring Breivik had formerly been a member of the NDL. Breivik has been identified as a member of the NDL under the pseudonym "Sigurd Jorsalfar" (after the medieval Norwegian crusader-king Sigurd the Crusader).[26] The first documented initiative for establishing a Norwegian sister organization to the EDL had also originated in a forum post by Breivik on the Norwegian website Document.no on December 6, 2009. There Breivik proposes to establish a Norwegian version of the English Defence League.[4] Breivik writes that he sees this as the only way to stop left-wing radical groups like Blitz and SOS Rasisme from harassing Norwegian cultural conservatives.[6][7] According to the newspaper Dagbladet, Breivik however denies to have been a member of the NDL.[10] Lena Andreassen states that Breivik was ejected from the organization when she took over as leader because he was too extreme,[11] while Ronny Alte and Håvar Krane have said that Breivik left because he thought the group was too mild regarding its methods.[3][12][32] Breivik's perceived connection to the NDL is seen as a major problem for the group in the area of recruiting new members.[34]

Resignation of Ronny Alte

On April 19, 2012, on the fourth day of the trial of Anders Behring Breivik, Ronny Alte who had been called to witness for the defense, announced his resignation from both his position on the organization's leadership group, called the "admins", and from the NDL. Alte claimed that he had wanted to distance himself from Breivik as much as possible but that the rest of the admin community had told him not to talk to the media. He said he was considering starting a group of his own.[5]

June 2012 rally

The Norwegian Defence League, in cooperation with Stop Islamisation of Norway, held its first successful public rally in Stavanger on Saturday June 23, 2012. Around 40 people participated according to the police who also called the protest "peaceful". Some counter-protesters, however, were fined for refusing to leave the area. In addition to protesting the islamization of Norway and Europe, the Norwegian parliament's recent decision to change the constitution to relinquish Christianity as state religion and equate all religions was also protested. A counter-rally was organized and police in combat attire physically separated the groups. SOS Rasisme was expelled from the counter-rally and later protested that it was "too passive."`[35][36]

Social media

It had more than 1,300 members on its closed Facebook group by September 2011.[37] Rivalries existed between several different Facebook groups all vying for the support of the English Defence League, at least through August 2011.[32] One of these were created by Ronny Alte.[38][32] According to the British anti-fascist Searchlight magazine in a July 26, 2011 press release, the NDL's Facebook page was administered by Jeff Marsh, who was a leading EDL organizer and who has served prison time for football-related violence.[38]

Facebook is currently the group's main organizational venue.[3]

Leaders

References

  1. ^ a b Tollefsen, Katrine Berg (July 27, 2011). "Var medlem av Norsk forsvarsallianse" (in Norwegian). Lillehammer, Norway: P4. Retrieved February 3, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  2. ^ a b "Norwegian Defence League" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Defence League. Archived from the original on March 2, 2012. Retrieved March 2, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Beyer-Olsen, Audun (August 6, 2011). "Leder den islamfiendlige organisasjonen NDL". Tønsbergs Blad (in Norwegian). Tønsberg, Norway. Retrieved February 3, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b c Krokfjord, Torgeir P.; Meldalen, Sindre Granly; Meland, Astrid (August 25, 2011). "Her er Breiviks meningsfeller". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved March 15, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ a b Svardal, Yngve Garen; Skjærstad, Bent (April 19, 2012). "Leiaren for Norwegian Defence League har trekt seg" (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved April 21, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ a b "Norway Attacks: Anders Behring Breivik Profile". Channel4.com. July 23, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  7. ^ a b Breivik, Anders Behring (December 6, 2009). "Anders Behring Breiviks kommentarer hos Document.no" (in Norwegian). Document.no. Retrieved February 4, 2012. EDL er et eksempel til etterfølgelse og en norsk versjon er det eneste som kan hindre Blitz/SOS i å trakassere norske kulturkonservative fra andre fronter. Å lage en norsk EDL bør være nr. 3 på agendaen etter at vi har fått startet opp en kulturkonservativ avis med nasjonal distribusjon. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ "EDL 'LGBT' division cancels Canal Street leafleting, encourages support of 'Norwegian Defence League'". Mule. Manchester, England. July 23, 2011. Retrieved March 20, 2012.
  9. ^ Patalong, Frank (July 25, 2011). "Blogging Hate: Anders Breivik's Roots in Right-Wing Populism". Spiegel Online. Retrieved March 20, 2012.
  10. ^ a b Krokfjord, Torgeir P.; Sandli, Espen; Meldalen, Sindre Granly; Ruud, Hans-Martin Thømt; Brustad, Line; Kristiansen, Arnhild Aass (February 4, 2012). "Breivik beskytter EDL-kontakter". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved February 7, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ a b "Hevder Breivik var for ekstrem for Norwegian Defence League". Agderposten (in Norwegian). NTB. July 26, 2011. Retrieved February 3, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ a b Brustad, Line; Meland, Astrid; Krokfjord, Torgeir P. (August 26, 2011). "Røper hemmelig kontakt med Breivik". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved February 27, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ a b Flydal, Eiliv Frich (April 8, 2011). "Svensker og briter deltar i anti-islamistisk Oslo-demo". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved April 9, 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ a b c d "Islamkritiker trekker seg etter PSTs trusselvurdering". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). March 1, 2011. Retrieved April 9, 2011. {{cite news}}: |first= missing |last= (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ Nesset, Marie Sofie Istad; Jørgensen, Gisle (February 28, 2011). "–We are patriots and not racists" (in Norwegian). NRK. Retrieved April 10, 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ Skjeseth, Alf (February 19, 2011). "Frykter nytt rasistdrap". Klassekampen (in Norwegian). Retrieved April 10, 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ "Åpen trusselvurdering 2011" (DjVu) (in Norwegian). Norwegian Police Security Service. 2011. p. 9. Retrieved February 3, 2012. Personer tilknyttet de islamfiendtlige gruppene i Norge er først og fremst synlige på ulike sosiale medier. I 2011 forventer vi at deres virksomhet kan bidra til å styre den offentlige debatten i retning av økt fremmedfiendtlighet. Dette kan føre til økt polarisering innad i og mellom ekstreme miljøer i Norge. Økt aktivisme blant norske islamfiendtlige organisasjoner kan imidlertid også øke bruken av vold i slike miljøer, spesielt i tilknytning til demonstrasjoner og markeringer. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ Pedersen, Jørn Normann (April 7, 2011). "Forsvaret følger anti-islamister". iTromsø (in Norwegian). Retrieved April 10, 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ a b Torgersen, Hans Henrik (March 13, 2011). "Hun vil bekjempe ekstrem-muslimer: Vil lede Norwegian Defence League". VG (in Norwegian). Retrieved April 10, 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ a b c Flydal, Eiliv Frich; Monsen, Øistein Norum; Sandli, Espen (April 9, 2011). "- Søren, det er jo flere pressefolk her enn oss". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved February 27, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. ^ a b Fondenes, Yngve Garen (April 1, 2011). "Befal i HV sin innsatsstyrke leder etableringen av antiislamsk organisasjon i Tromsø" (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved April 10, 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ a b c Schjønberg, Snorre (April 7, 2011). "NDL vil etablere seg gradvis i Tromsø". Nordlys (in Norwegian). Retrieved April 10, 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ Tjernshaugen, Karen (April 8, 2011). "Reagerer kraftig på 9. april-demonstrasjon". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Retrieved April 9, 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ Fondenes, Eivind (April 9, 2011). "Politiet i overtall under anti-islamsk demonstrasjon" (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved April 10, 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ Skjærstad, Bent; Sønsteby, Christian (February 5, 2011). "Norske Remi i England på anti-muslimsk markering" (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved April 10, 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  26. ^ a b c Paust, Thomas (July 26, 2011). "Breivik var medlem i Norsk forsvarsallianse". Nettavisen (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norway. Retrieved February 3, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ Olsen, Asbjørn; Hansen, Birthe Steen (April 8, 2011). "Lena forbereder seg på sammenstøt i Oslo sentrum" (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved February 3, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  28. ^ a b Krekling, David Vojislav; Strand, Tormod; Aune, Oddvin; Weiby, Hans Erik (April 9, 2011). "Takket de 10 frammøtte" (in Norwegian). NRK. Retrieved February 27, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  29. ^ "En håndfull demonstrerte mot radikal islam". Vårt Land (in Norwegian). April 9, 2011. Retrieved February 27, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  30. ^ Olsen, Asbjørn; Persen, Kjell (April 13, 2011). "Engelske antiislamister bryter med norsk søsterorganisasjon" (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved February 27, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  31. ^ Flydal, Eiliv Frisch (April 14, 2011). "NDL-ledelsen kastet etter fiasko-demonstrasjonen". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved February 27, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  32. ^ a b c d Landsend, Merete; Meland, Astrid (August 1, 2011). "Dette er det islamhatende Norge". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved March 15, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  33. ^ Sandli, Espen; Brustad, Line; Flydal, Eiliv Frich (March 11, 2012). "- Antirasister bygde høyreekstrem organisasjon". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved March 11, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  34. ^ Criscione, Valeria (May 11, 2012). "Has Norway given Breivik exactly what he wanted?". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  35. ^ "Far-right activists stage rally in Norway". NECN. AP. June 23, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  36. ^ Sele, Espen Meling; Pedersen, Siri Wichne (June 23, 2012). "– Splitter saken". Rogalands Avis (in Norwegian). Retrieved June 24, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  37. ^ Kirkebøen, Stein Erik (September 7, 2011). "- Høyreekstrem vekst etter terroren". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Retrieved March 5, 2012. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  38. ^ a b "Anders Behring Breivik was in contact with the EDL" (Press release). Searchlight. July 26, 2011. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
  39. ^ Brandvold, Åse (June 30, 2012). "Brann tar avstand". Klassekampen (in Norwegian). p. 10. ...den tidligere lederen Ronny Alte, som har dannet sin egen organisasjon Norges Frihetsparti.

See also

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