MINORITY ANGER IN NORWAY RISES

C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000090 SIPDIS COPENHAGEN PASS TO LEGATT E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2019 TAGS: PREL KIRF PTER ASEC KPAO KCRM KISL NO SUBJECT: MINORITY ANGER IN NORWAY RISES REF: A. 07 OSLO 1099 ¶B. 08 OSLO 207 ¶C. 08 OSLO 327 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Kevin M. Johnson for reasons 1.4 b and d ¶1. (SBU) Summary: A series of anti-Israel demonstrations on January 8 and January 10 erupted into violence in central Oslo as some demonstrators, primarily young Muslim-background youth, clashed with police. The damages, police action and extent of the violence were the worst in Norway since the 1980s. After public outcry, Oslo city authorities, the police, and some prominent members of Norway,s Muslim community organized community sessions to discuss the underlying causes motivating the violence. Despite this seemingly happy ending, these events illustrate serious underlying tensions in the minority population in Norway which are only now beginning to come to the surface. End Summary The Riots -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On January 8 at 1700 a group of 500 gathered outside the Norwegian Parliament to mark their support of Israel. This gathering attracted over 1,000 anti-Israel protestors who turned violent. The violence included anti-Israel protestors throwing stones, fireworks and debris at the pro-Israel gathering and at Siv Jensen, the leader of the Progress Party, Norway,s largest opposition party and a supporter of Israel. The situation quickly became riotous and resulted in millions of dollars worth of damage to retail property along Oslo's prime shopping street. Police used tear gas, horses and dogs to finally disperse the crowds, some seven hours after the demonstration began. Rioters moving toward the U.S. Embassy were stopped by police about one tenth of a mile from the Embassy. At least 31 rioters were arrested, all of Muslim background. Some hours later an anti-Israel demonstration numbering well over 10,000 gathered peacefully and conducted a torch light parade. ¶3. (SBU) On January 10, another anti-Israel demonstration resulted in violence including targeting of five McDonalds restaurants in Oslo. A group of 3,000 demonstrators, including children, met at Parliament to protest Israel,s actions in Gaza in the early afternoon. The demonstration moved to the Israeli Embassy and raucous protestors aimed fireworks and rocks at police. Violence continued in throughout the night downtown with various stores and buildings targeted, including a Free Mason building hosting a children,s holiday party. Five McDonald,s restaurants were damaged, stemming from SMS messages saying that McDonalds was donating all profits to Israel. The Police arrested 160 demonstrators of which 110 were of Muslim background. The rest were known leftists including members of the Norwegian anarchist group Blitz. One consequence of these actions was the cancellation of a pro-Israel rally in Bergen because the police said they could not protect it. The Reactions -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Responses to the demonstrations sharply criticized the violence of the demonstrators, condemned them for using children in one march and focused on the fact that immigrant Muslim youth caused the majority of the damage. This aspect shocked many Norwegians who like to believe that integration of immigrant populations is more advanced in Norway than other European countries. In typical Norwegian fashion, a Pakistani-Norwegian politician (and friend of the Embassy) organized a public meeting between Oslo city authorities, the police, the Islamic Council, Islamic Foundation, antiracist centers, NGOs and Muslim background youth to discuss the underlying causes motivating the violence. Consensus from this meeting and from discussions with Embassy contacts in Oslo,s minority population is that much of the violence stemmed from general frustration and lack of outlets for minority youth in Norwegian society, not necessarily from the situation in Gaza, although that and the police reaction may have contributed to the anger. GON officials were quick to claim that this frustration did not stem from a failure in Norway integration project, but from "hoodlums" who took advantage of the demonstrations to run amok. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) The general public and media in Norway is strongly anti-Israel, as shown by the discrepancy in the numbers of demonstrators in the anti-Israel demonstrations. Norway,s minority Muslim populations certainly share this negative view of Israel and the Norwegian public and media's approach legitimizes anti-Israeli sentiment. Genuine anger at Israel certainly played a part in the feeling of the demonstrators. However, the causes of the violence accompanying these demonstrations appears to stem at least as much from frustration about deeper integration issues, despite the GON,s denial. ¶6. (C) Integration of minorities is a common theme in the public debate, and there are numerous diligent NGOs working with at-risk-youth and minority populations. In addition, there are true success stories in Norway,s minority populations, particularly in the well-established Pakistani-Norwegian community. However, there remain real difficulties for minority youth in achieving full integration, access to good paying jobs and acceptance in general society as full Norwegians. Wage and employment statistics show that although immigrant populations are equal or better paid in lower paying jobs, they receive significantly lower wages than non-minority Norwegians if occupying a traditionally higher paying position. The fact that a Pakistani-Norwegian initiated the traditional Norwegian dispute resolution dialogue process, and that this was welcomed by Muslim youth, is a positive sign of the willingness of Norway,s Muslim population to adopt Norwegian norms. Now the GON and the general public need to reciprocate. ¶7. (C) The Embassy has conducted extensive outreach into Norway,s minority Muslim communities. We will continue to report on the largest ethnic groups of Muslim background minorities (see reftels),cultivate contacts in these groups, reach out to schools, mosques and community organizations in areas with high minority populations, encourage exchanges with the U.S., and facilitate contacts between Norwegian authorities and Muslim leaders. There is great enthusiasm in Norway,s Muslim community about President Obama and we intend to leverage this to dispel myths about the United States, encourage members of Norway,s Muslim population to visit and study in the U.S. and to strengthen the efforts of those groups working on vital integration and anti-radicalization programs. End Comment WHITNEY