Police prohibit Neo-Nazis from demonstrating in Fredrikstad
The police will now deny the neo-Nazi group, ‘The Nordic Resistance Movement’ (Den nordiske motstandsbevegelsen) permission to march in Fredrikstad on July the 29th, under the slogan ‘Crush the Homo-lobby’ (‘Knus homolobbyen’).
The police justify the ban by saying that the demonstration will cause nuisance, and the danger of public disturbance is too great.
In May, the police said that they wouldn’t ban the neo-Nazi march, and gave spoken permission for the demonstration. They then said that permission was granted on the grounds of freedom of expression. On Friday, the police announced that they’d changed their minds.
‘We’ve been notified of several counter demonstrations, with the potential to draw a lot of people to Fredrikstad.
Police intelligence shows a high risk of violent confrontation and organized nuisance from individual groups of opponents.
First demonstration in Norway
Given the large number of people expected to be in central Fredrikstad, the event would cause an unacceptable risk of damage to public buildings, vehicles and objects,’ said police chief, Steven Hasseldal, of the Eastern Police District.
The march in Fredrikstad would have been the first organised by the neo-Nazi organization in Norway.
© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today
