Norwegian anti-fascist and progressive groups have initiated countrywide protests demanding justice for George Floyd killed by police officers in Minneapolis on May 25. Under the call given by the Arise and African Student Association, a demonstration was organized in front of the Norwegian parliament in Oslo on June 5, Friday. The Communist Party of Norway (NKP) also extended its solidarity and participated in the demonstrations.
Leftist youth groups and activist groups such as the KampKomiteen in Norway had also issued calls for protests in solidarity with the anti-racism protesters in the US. Protests were registered in Lillehammer, Arendal, Stord, Hamar, Oslo, Bergen, Kristiansand Tromsø, Haugesund, Alta, Volda and other parts of the country from May 3-6.
Tjen Folket Media reported that braving administrative sanctions, the KampKomiteen and other leftist youth groups staged a protest in Trondheim on May 3, with the banner “Fight and resist!”. Socialist Youth and Red Youth in the city carried out a banner campaign with powerful slogans in support of the protests in the US.
The Young Communists in Norway (UngKom) stated, “the horrible murder of George Floyd performed by forces in the United States has strong similarities with the murder of Eugene Ejike Obiora in Norway. Racism and police brutality do not only exist abroad but also within our own borders.”
Eugene Ejike Obiora was a naturalized Norwegian citizen, originally from Nigeria, who was killed when police forcefully arrested him in 2006. He was protesting the denial of social welfare aid at Østbyen Servicekontor, in Trondheim.
In their appeal, Kampkomiteen said, “there are people who react with disgust for every stone thrown, who sigh for every looted store and cry for every broken window. Do they think that change has ever come to the oppressed because they asked the oppressors nicely for mercy? Each time the oppressed demand a little, it costs a lot to realize it. This seems to some to be sad. But it is not sad that oppressed fighters. It’s beautiful! The rebellion of the oppressed is not terrible, it’s great!”
Norwegian leftist groups including the Red Party, Red Youth, Socialist Venstre, Socialist Youth and Young Left have called for a larger mobilization in Trondheim on June 15.
