Abstract

Islamophobia in Norway refers to the set of discourses, behaviours and structures which express feelings of anxiety, fear, hostility and rejection towards Islam and/or Muslims in Norway. Islamophobia can manifest itself through discrimination in the workforce, negative coverage in the media, and violence against Muslims.

Discrimination

In October 2015, a Muslim convert named Malika Bayan was turned away from a hair salon in Bryne by a hairdresser named Merete Hodne who said the Bayan's headscarf was "a totalitarian symbol." Hodne also said that Islam was not a religion, but rather a political ideology. Hodne was subsequently charged 10,000 kroner for religious discrimination. Former MP Peter N. Myhre sided with Hodne, arguing a hijab was similar to a Nazi uniform and denounced the court system for convicting her of discrimination. It was revealed by Norwegian media prior to the court ruling that Merete Hodne was once a member of the anti-Islam group PEGIDA.

In employment

A 2012 study by researchers at the Institutt for Samfunnsforskning found that job applicants with Pakistani-sounding or Muslim-sounding names received 25% less callbacks from employers than 'ethnic' Norwegian applicants given exact similar qualifications and work experience. An older 2006 study concluded that Somali and Iraqi immigrants faced the most discrimination of any immigrant group in the labor market and housing.

In education

Research by the Institutt for Samfunnsforskning in 2014 concluded that the coverage of Islam and Muslims in Norway in an academic setting further negative societal attitudes.

In politics

In August 2014, Progress Party MP Ulf Leirstein was criticized for making reference to the Eurabia conspiracy theory in reference to immigration. Leirstein also accused Muslim MP Hadia Tajik of supporting ISIS and practicing taqiyya. Vice Chairman of the Progress Party, MP Per Sandberg, defended Leirstein's statements as "freedom of expression."

Following a March 2017 ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, former leader of the Progress Party, Carl I. Hagen, expressed support for banning municipality employees in Oslo from wearing a hijab.

In the media

The Convention Against All Forms of Racial Discrimination raised concerns in 2015 about an "increase in... [hate] speech and xenophobic discourse by politicians, in the media and in other public platforms" in Norway.

In the justice system

The Norwegian government has been criticized by the European Council’s European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance, the United Nation’s Convention Against All Forms of Racial Discrimination Commission, and the Norwegian Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud for a lack of sustained efforts against hate speech. The first ever sentence against a Norwegian citizen for hate speech targeting a Muslim was in October 2014. Norwegian Muslims interviewed for a newspaper report about this issue in August 2015 asserted that "Muslims do not report hate crimes" since they had "no confidence in the police taking it seriously."

Hate crimes

Some mosques in Norway have been victim of arson attacks. In February 2015, three men were charged with racist-motivated violence against two Norwegian Kurds in downtown Oslo. The perpetrators allegedly yelled “Fucking Muslims, you don’t have anything to do here” and “Go back, fucking terrorists” while kicking and punching the victims in their heads and bodies. Two of the perpetrators had ties to neo-Nazi groups in Norway.

Organizations | Fedrelandet viktigst

Fedrelandet viktigst is a Facebook group for Norwegians opposed to immigration. The group was mocked after it posted a picture of empty bus seats, which it had mistaken for burka-clad women. Users in the group claimed it represented the "Islamification" of Norway. Rune Berglund Steen, the leader of the Norwegian Centre Against Racism, said the irrational response to six empty bus seats demonstrates that "people see what they want to see and what they want to see are dangerous Muslims."

Organizations | Norwegian Defence League

The Norwegian Defense League is an anti-Islamic group closely associated with the English Defence League (EDL). The NDL is an offshoot of the European Defence League and 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 by EDL appointed liaison officer Steve Simmons following a failed demonstration that was held on 9 April 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. Alte resigned abruptly both as leader and member of the NDL on 19 April 2012 over a dispute with the rest of the organisation's leadership related to its connection with Anders Behring Breivik.

Organizations | Stop Islamisation of Norway

Stop Islamisation of Norway is a Norwegian organisation which was established in 2008, although its history goes back to a group started in 2000. Its stated aim is to work against Islam, which it defines as a totalitarian political ideology that violates the Norwegian Constitution as well as democratic and human values. The organisation is led by Arne Tumyr, and has several thousand members and supporters. While the group claims to solely criticize religion, it has been accused of promoting stigmatization, exclusion, and discrimination towards Norwegian Muslims.

Opposition

The Norwegian Centre Against Racism and the Organisation Against Public Discrimination work to counter what they view as discriminatory attitudes and ideas. The Lutheran State Church in Norway encourages interfaith dialogue and relations with Norwegian Muslims. The Church also has contacts with the Islamic Council Norway.