– They stand for a far-right, racist and violent ideology. The library must be a safe arena for everyone. Racism has no place here. That’s what Jenny Dellegård, the main shop steward at the Deichman Trade Union, says. She talks about the controversial publisher Legatum Publishing and the French writer Renaud Camus. The author is best known for being behind the term “The great change”. Extremism researcher Cathrine Thorleifsson at the University of Oslo has described it as follows in Aftenposten: – Central is the notion of white genocide, that the white race is threatened by mass immigration, and is about to be replaced by migrants. The author Renaud Camus is behind the term “The great change”. Photo: Oleg Cetinic / AP Forlaget Legatum believes it is wrong. They have borrowed a room in Deichman Bjørvika next week for a press conference. The author Camus will participate digitally. The purpose is “to correct misinformation”, according to Legatum. – Everyone present can ask tough and challenging questions directly to Camus. This is how public debate works in an enlightened democracy, writes publisher Tore Rasmussen in an e-mail to news. Publisher at Legatum, Tore Rasmussen, says the press conference will be open to critical questions to Camus. Photo: Privat Asking the management to say no Employees at the library believe that the publisher must be denied access. They ask the library to cancel the event. The union writes in Dagsavisen that the practice for lending out rooms must be changed. – We believe that the library manager must receive a mandate or an instruction from the politicians that enables him to reject such requests. The Culture Council in Oslo also believes that it is problematic that Legatum is allowed to use the library. Culture councilor Omar Samy Gamal (SV) believes that the publisher contributes to describing human groups in a way that is harmful to society. Photo: Hanna Johre / news – These are people who spread conspiracy theories and fascism. They add nothing positive to the library, says Omar Samy Gamal (SV). But the city council points out that there is freedom of assembly in Norway. Therefore, the threshold is high for refusing people to meet. Rasmussen in Legatum believes they have the right to use the library like everyone else. – Should public libraries start taking a stand on important social debates by banning one of the parties? Deichman Bjørvika lends the venue, but is not the organizer of the press conference. Photo: Hallgeir Braastad / news Can’t shut out the publisher Library manager in Oslo, Knut Skansen, says he understands that employees and others are reacting, but that he cannot refuse to lend the room. – There is freedom of organization and freedom of expression in Norway, and that means that you can use the library for various activities. I cannot, based on the Constitution, carry out prior censorship, says Skansen. Library manager Knut Skansen says he will report the publisher if the law is broken in the loaned room. Photo: Erik Thallaug / Fotofolk He points out that public libraries must follow the law. – Opinions that many find very problematic must in one way or another be given a place in this space, as long as it is within Norwegian law, Skansen states. He can only intervene if an event disrupts the operation of the library. Counter-demonstration announced The event has also caused reactions outside the library. An anti-racist demonstration against the meeting has been announced. The library manager says they are in contact with the police about security around the event. – Safety for our employees and for our users always comes first. To the extent that an event leads to unrest in the library, I will consider this more closely, says library manager Knut Skansen. Oslo Police District informs news that they will introduce security measures if necessary. In recent years, there have been several debates about who should have access to Deichman and the other public libraries in Norway. Photo: Lars Schwed Nygård / NTB
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Employees at Deichman Bjørvika believe the publishing house Legatum is right-wing and will ban them – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
