– It has not occurred to me that something like this could happen in our streets, says Sandra Pedersen. On Saturday, she was hit in the head with a metal thermos during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Stavanger. – Suddenly I felt a blow to the head. I kept walking, but then I felt myself passing out. Sandra Pedersen at the emergency department of Stavanger University Hospital after the demonstration on Saturday. Photo: Privat Pedersen sat down in Byparken and was eventually taken to the emergency room by a friend. From there she was sent to Stavanger University Hospital (SUS) and was diagnosed with a concussion. – This is not just an attack against me, but an attack against everyone who stands for justice, she believes. Racist calls The demonstration was one of many organized by the Palestine Committee in Stavanger over the past ten months. But the first where protesters have been physically attacked. A woman and a man who attacked Pedersen and a woman she went with were caught on video. A pro-Palestinian demonstration in Stavanger was attacked on Saturday. In the video, a young man tries to snatch a large Palestine flag from a woman at the very front of the demonstration train. Pedersen says she tried to help the woman. The man then shouts “this is Europe”, and on the way he shows the Nazi salute and says “Sieg Heil”. Both he and the woman he is with shout obscenities at the train, the video shows. And it is this woman who allegedly hit Pedersen in the head with a metal thermos. This was not caught on video, but news was informed by two people who were present. Two days later, Pedersen says she is still dizzy and sore on the left side of her head. – I am a bit put out that this could happen. It is the first time we have been attacked in that way, she says and adds: – I hope the police do their job. Two suspects The police have the video from the incident, but the people have not yet been identified. That’s what police attorney Cathrine Stensby-Johannessen says. – We have been in contact with the offended woman, and are now considering further investigative steps, says Stensby-Johannessen. The police are interested in information that can help identify the suspects. Police inspector and section leader for prosecution at Stavanger police station, Sigve Espeland, says they are investigating both bodily harm and possible hate motives. Police inspector and section leader for prosecution at Stavanger police station, Sigve Espeland. Photo: Arild Eskeland / news – We are investigating section 185 of the Criminal Code on hate speech, he says. Pedersen sits on the board of the Palestine Committee in Stavanger. She hopes the police will find the two people and put an end to this. – This is not how it should be. We must be allowed to express ourselves. We went out to show solidarity with Gaza, she says. Want more police guards The Palestine Committee has organized demonstrations in support of the Palestinians in Gaza regularly since last autumn, but has not experienced similar physical attacks before, says head of the Palestine Committee in Stavanger, Ingebreth Forus. – We have received bad words from some. We tolerate that well, but there is a limit to physical attacks and personal injury, he says. Forus believes they will need more police guards in the future. – We organize peaceful demonstrations. We must talk to the police and discuss our way to more relevant police protection. Today we did not see the police. Usually they are present, says Forus. Sør-West police district says they consider from time to time whether they should be present at demonstrations. Pedersen will be there next time anyway. – This does not stop us, and it does not stop me, she says. Pedersen wants more police at demonstrations. Photo: Erik Waage / news Published 19.08.2024, at 21.17
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Was hit in the head with a thermos during the Gaza demonstration – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
