22nd July 2011: Anders Behring Breivik, a far-right white supremacist, detonates a bomb outside government offices in Oslo. Eight people are killed, hundreds injured. Dressed as a police officer, he then proceeds 40 km northwest of the capital to the island of Utøya. A Labour Party Youth camp is taking place. There he shoots dead 69 people, the majority teenagers. When police arrive at the scene, Breivik is arrested without resistance.
Breivik wanted to start a fascist revolution. The 1500-page manifesto he circulated on the day of his rampage only emphasised that his evil actions were matched with an unmistakeably evil intent. His twisted views drew heavily from mainstream right-wing media. He declared a war on “cultural Marxism”, decrying immigration and multiculturalism. Breivik had consciously singled out this youth camp. He blamed their social democratic views for allowing Muslims and other immigrant groups to settle and “threaten” the peace of Europe.
Norway’s collective memory was deeply scarred by its deadliest atrocity since WWII. 10 years on, Breivik remains in jail serving his 21-year sentence; the longest jail term allowed in Norway. It can be extended if he is deemed a continued threat to society. This is probable; the mass murderer is anything but rehabilitated. As it happens, he wants to profit from his terrorism by selling rights to a film and a book on his life for a staggering $10 million. Reportedly, he sent out letters earlier this month to filmmakers asking them for his life to be retold on the big screen. This delusional narcissism beggars belief.
The Legacies of the 2011 Attacks
The bigger question to be asked is whether society has learned from the events of 2011? Do we have a greater understanding of how such venomous ideologies spawn, and therefore, how to stop them? Though Breivik may be behind bars, his far-right ideology has never been so alive, pervasive and powerful in society. His Islamophobic views and fear-mongering rhetoric is frequently spouted out by far-right groups. The very beliefs that spurred Breivik’s actions have not been adequately confronted.
At a recent memorial service, the current leader of AUF (the Workers’ Youth League attacked in Utøya) stated, “We have discussed the unpreparedness of the rescue services, the number of police officers we should have on the street, the number of helicopters, the memorials, Breivik’s mental health… But there was no discussion of the political ideology behind it.”
Did the Norwegian government take Breivik’s actions as enough of a wake-up call? Did they ramp up efforts to challenge the platforms amplifying far-right propaganda? Had they done so, then maybe one in three Utøya victims would not have been subjected to hate speech or threats since the attacks. One survivor, Elin L’Estrange, drew attention to how the world has “failed to deal with the political aspect of the attack.” Indeed, racist rhetoric has reared its ugly head time and time again.
The populist right-wing Progress party, of which Breivik was a member before radicalising, entered government for the first time in 2013. Their campaign centred round anti-immigration and anti-Muslim positions. As part of their alliance with the Conservative party, they were handed significant control over immigration and integration policies. “Eurabia”, a far-right Islamophobic conspiracy theory, is prevalent among other Norwegian political parties too. Worryingly, populist ideologies tainted with xenophobia are gaining influence in society’s institutions.
Norway has not been immune to further violent terrorist acts. Philip Manshaus murdered his half-Asian sister two years ago. He then tried to break into a mosque, only to be subdued by worshippers. This disturbing trend in right-wing violence is not the least bit limited to Norway. Earlier that year, 11,000 miles from Norway, Brenton Tarrant killed 51 people at two mosques in New Zealand. He explicitly praised Breivik as someone willing to “take a stand against ethnic and cultural genocide.” Similarly, US Coast Guard member and white supremacist Christopher Hasson, whose terrorist plot was intercepted, cited Breivik as his inspiration. In our globalised world that is increasingly connected, hatred knows no borders. Instead, it has been catalysed by virtual spaces.
The Role of the Media
Governments, who have the power to take legislative action, must recognise the role of mainstream media. Far-right ideologies are tearing at the social fabric and cohesion of society. These media outlets produce and perpetuate narratives that their consumers, sometimes even unthinkingly, adopt. It is high time that the media, be it newspapers, social media or TV channels, actively minimises the airtime it gives far-right, xenophobic organisations.
Hatred has no place in our societies. It never has and never will. Online spaces can both divide and strengthen our communities. When left to foment, dichotomising language which spreads the “Us vs. Them” narrative breeds the Breiviks of tomorrow. Just last year, far-right terrorist charges increased by over a third. Authorities must root out and regulate the spaces that are damaging our communities. Visibility of extremist groups only emboldens people to adopt the abhorrent views that can lead to terrorist acts.
In the aftermath of 2011’s atrocities, Norway did take some initiatives. It overhauled its definition of terrorism and now ranks far-right and Islamist terrorism as equally
dangerous. The Scandinavian country also agreed to cooperate with the wider international community to fight right-wing terrorism. However, like many European countries, its take on “free speech” is holding it back. Certain laws are protecting the “freedom of expression” of far-right groups.
Stop the Islamisation of Norway, a group that regularly desecrates the Qur’an, has been able to travel around Norway for years with heavy police protection. Meanwhile, the editor of Document.no, an outlet said to be “rife with anti-Muslim and hard right rhetoric”, enjoys membership of the Association of Norwegian Editors which he joined in 2018. Document.no was one of Breivik’s favourite news outlets. Free speech should not be at the cost of social cohesion, harmony and tolerance.
Taking Action
Multilateral institutions like the UN and EU should work on implementing strategies to combat far-right extremism. This top-down approach can be complemented with bottom-up community efforts. For instance, funding programmes to boost integration and intercultural dialogue. Christopher Wray, Director of the FBI, emphasises “people-power” as the greatest ally for tackling mass-shootings or terrorism, rather than surveillance.
A similarity among Islamist and far-right extremists is their issues with living in diverse communities. This points to a major sociological and psychological facet to radicalisation. Indeed, authorities must equally recognise the societal and economic factors that make people particularly susceptible to radicalisation. Recently, Covid-related isolation has been suggested as a factor driving the growth of far right extremism. Strong community networks that embrace and celebrate diversity are needed to stop people falling below the radar.
There is no doubt that the internet has added a challenging dimension to far-right terrorism. It demands more regulation and monitoring. However, it is also critical that organisations which echo Breivik’s beliefs are not put on a pedestal. Their political point-scoring brings no benefit to modern civilisation.
In Germany, the largest far-right party, Alternative für Deutschland, has been designated a suspected extremist group. The country has taken steps to ensure the party cannot use its platform to radicalise Germans. In an ideal world, our political parties would not have to be placed under surveillance. Yet, we don’t live in an ideal world. Our institutions and local communities must all be proactive in combating the dark forces that pose a threat to the public. A decade has passed since Breivik heartlessly stole the lives of 77 innocent individuals. Lessons still need learning. Given a 250% increase in far-right terrorists attack across Europe, North America and Australia since 2014, we can never afford to underestimate this threat again.
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