Translated by contributor to Tjen Folket Media.
We publish here a report from one of many demonstrations this summer. We will in the coming weeks post translations of reports written this summer. Originally published June 11, 2020.
After the demonstration for George Floyd on June 3 where several hundreds participated despite attempts to stop the event, there was to be a new demonstration on June 15. One of the initiators believed that it was too long to wait and therefore pushed for a new demonstration on Tuesday, June 9.
There were far more people in the square that time. One person that the Struggle Committee (Kampkomiteen) spoke with said that there may have been as many as 1000 people. It has been a long time since this many people have joined a demonstration in Trondheim with the exception of fixed demonstrations like Pride, March 8, and May 1. 16 speakers spoke about police violence and everyday racism. The ridiculous statements made by Prime Minister Erna Solberg that Blacks in the US are more criminal than whites and FrP [the Progress Party] claim that that racism does not exist in Norway were mentioned by several of the speakers. The murder of Obiora and police racism in Norway as well as the fact that Blacks are being oppressed all around the world was also brought up by many. After the speeches, a moment of silence lasting 8 minutes and 46 seconds was held (the amount of time that the strangulation of Floyd lasted). Most demonstrators took a knee on their own initiative.
This time as well, most of the speakers ended their talks with slogans. Slogans, which were shouted across the square, were “Black Lives Matter”, “No Justice – No Peace”, “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot”, and “No Racists in Our Streets” this time as well. “No Justice – No Peace” was eventually followed up with “No Racist Police”. Some, including the Struggle Committee, also shouted “Fuck the Police”. There were also banners and signs bearing the acronym “ACAB” (All Cops Are Bastards). These were slogans that the Struggle Committee and Motmakt shouted at the end of the event. Several flyers were also passed out by the Struggle Committee at the start and end of the demonstration.
After the demonstration, a youth was arrested by plainclothes police officers. At this point, most of the demonstrators had left the area, but Struggle Committee activists and a number of other people who were present at the time approached the officers. The ensuing confusion contributed to the youth being able to break free to the applause of all those who were present.
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