Right-wing extremist groups have increased their activities across the country since summer. Norwegian Jews believe politicians do not take the rise of right-wing extremism seriously.

TV2 reports right-wing extremist groups increase their activities in Norway. Since their march in Kristiansand in July 2017, they are more active in propaganda and activities. Their propaganda film shows how they threaten the police and continue their march. In the film, Neo-nazis march further while the police are watching.

They also publish images of places where they have actions. Moreover they openly brag about how they train to fight, with and without weapons. This development worries Norwegian Jews, according to TV2.

Ervin Kohn is a Jew and leader of the Mosaic community in Norway. His mother and father survived the Holocaust.

Talking to TV2, he says Norwegian politicians do not have enough focus on right-wing extremism in the election campaign.

– The silence is worrying. Political leaders do not react to the rise of neo-Nazis. That silence concerns me more than the hateful expressions, says he.

He believes Norwegian Neo-Nazi groups get inspired from similar movements in the United States, the national front in France, and the stronger Nordic resistance movement in Sweden.

Integration Minister Spreads Fear

Kohn also accuses Norway’s immigration and integration minister Sylvi Listhaug.

– Some of what Sylvi Listhaug does create fear in the scoiety, says he.

Norway has no action plan against racism and right-wing extremism, Kohn thinks.

On the other hand, Listhaug does not agree that she creates fear.

– I contribute to a real debate about the challenges we face in Norwegian society, says Listhaug to TV 2.

Flagship of Neo-Nazi Groups in Norway

Nordic Resistance Movement (DNM) is a profiled Neo-Nazi group in both Norway and the Nordic region. In July, they had an illegal march in Kristiansand. Around 70 neo-nazi participated in the demonstration. Most of them came from Sweden, where the group is the best organized and most hierarchical in the Nordic region.

Several hundred protesters from DNM marched in Stockholm in November 2016.

In July this year, three members of DNM were convicted of bomb attacks against refugees and a left-wing group in Gothenburg.

In January 2017 a bomb exploded outside an asylum reception and a cleaner was seriously injured. In the same month, a bomb was found outside another asylum reception. And in November last year a bomb exploded outside the premises of a left-wing group.

It was later revealed that the group members received military training in Russia before the bomb attacks, by an organization that is linked to a Russian neo-Nazi group working with the Nordic resistance movement.