Norwegian publisher targeted with antisemitic vandalism
Several yellow Stars of David were placed outside the printing offices of publisher Schibsted in Bergen, in apparent antisemitic vandalism during the weekend.
The vandalism happened around the anniversary of the 1938 Kristallnacht anti-Jewish attacks in Nazi Germany, broadcaster NRK reports.
A serious incident of antisemitic vandalism also occurred in neighbouring Denmark this weekend, where 80 gravestones were desecrated at a Jewish burial ground.
Norwegian media Filter also reported that Stars of David were placed at locations across the Nordic countries, including at synagogues, banks and at media companies.
The yellow Star of David is the symbol Jews were forced to wear by Nazi authorities during World War Two.
Several stars were reportedly stuck to a sign outside Schibsted’s offices in Bergen, NRK writes.
The stickers have since been removed, but the broadcaster’s reporting shows their outline still visible on the sign.
“This is very unpleasant for Jews. The people who are doing it have an agenda driven by hatred of Jews,” Ervin Kohn, leader of the Jewish Community in Oslo and deputy leader of the Norwegian Centre against Racism, told NRK.
Kohn said that he believed neo-Nazi group the Nordic Resistance Movement (NRM) to be behind the Bergen vandalism and that a complaint had been filed with police to this end.
NRK was unable to obtain comment from Schibsted or NRM regarding the Bergen incident.
Pål Tore Haga, a radicalization contact with West District Police, told the broadcaster that antisemitic vandalism on the Kristallnacht anniversary was “not a new phenomenon”.
“I have not yet seen whether any reports have been received [relating to the Bergen stickers] but will of course do this as I look closer at this case,” Haga said.
“It will be interesting to see to what extent section 185 of the criminal code for hate speech may be relevant here,” he added.
READ ALSO: Norway PM Solberg takes part in Kristallnacht remembrance march
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The vandalism happened around the anniversary of the 1938 Kristallnacht anti-Jewish attacks in Nazi Germany, broadcaster NRK reports.
A serious incident of antisemitic vandalism also occurred in neighbouring Denmark this weekend, where 80 gravestones were desecrated at a Jewish burial ground.
Norwegian media Filter also reported that Stars of David were placed at locations across the Nordic countries, including at synagogues, banks and at media companies.
The yellow Star of David is the symbol Jews were forced to wear by Nazi authorities during World War Two.
Several stars were reportedly stuck to a sign outside Schibsted’s offices in Bergen, NRK writes.
The stickers have since been removed, but the broadcaster’s reporting shows their outline still visible on the sign.
“This is very unpleasant for Jews. The people who are doing it have an agenda driven by hatred of Jews,” Ervin Kohn, leader of the Jewish Community in Oslo and deputy leader of the Norwegian Centre against Racism, told NRK.
Kohn said that he believed neo-Nazi group the Nordic Resistance Movement (NRM) to be behind the Bergen vandalism and that a complaint had been filed with police to this end.
NRK was unable to obtain comment from Schibsted or NRM regarding the Bergen incident.
Pål Tore Haga, a radicalization contact with West District Police, told the broadcaster that antisemitic vandalism on the Kristallnacht anniversary was “not a new phenomenon”.
“I have not yet seen whether any reports have been received [relating to the Bergen stickers] but will of course do this as I look closer at this case,” Haga said.
“It will be interesting to see to what extent section 185 of the criminal code for hate speech may be relevant here,” he added.
READ ALSO: Norway PM Solberg takes part in Kristallnacht remembrance march
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