The case in summary Actor Helge Jordal has taped over his name on the Bergen Walk of Fame in protest against the fact that multi-billionaire John Fredriksen has been given a stone. Jordal questions whether Walk of Fame stones are given to people because they have money, and whether Fredriksen has done anything for culture or the city. Local historian Jo Gjerstad thinks it is absurd that Fredriksen is on the pavement, as he has no connection to Bergen and is known to be one of Norway’s biggest tax evaders. The owner of the Bergen Walk of Fame, Roger Iversen, believes that the criticism surrounding Fredriksen’s stone comes from jealousy and that the stones represent those who make society better. Regardless of connection to Bergen. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. On Sunday, Norway’s richest man received a stone on Bergen’s very own Walk of Fame. Namely John Fredriksen, who vouches for a total of NOK 205 billion. Big names such as Trude Drevland and Marit Warncke, Bergen’s mayor, paid tribute to Fredriksen’s stone during the celebration. But one of the Walk of Fame neighbors frowns. – I taped over my name in protest. That’s what the Bergen actor Helge Jordal says. He was one of the first to be honored and given a stone in 2016. On Sunday, John Fredriksen received one of the honorary stones on the Bergen Walk of Fame. Photo: Matilde Sunde Solsvik / news Helge thinks Fredriksen’s stone on Bergen’s Walk of Fame is completely out of place. – Do we just give Walk of Fame stones to people because they have money? Has he done something for the culture or for the city otherwise, that I haven’t caught on to? There are many who have invested in Bergen, will they all get a stone then too, wonders the actor. BA mentioned the case first. – What am I helping to promote? Bergen got its Walk of Fame in 2015. It is located on the pavement in Nøstegaten and serves as awards for people who have made an effort for Bergen and Norway. – It started with people from Bergen who were to be honored for something or other they had done for their hometown and their fatherland. But in the last few years, there have been some strange outgrowths. That’s what local historian Jo Gjerstad says, who knows the city of Bergen better than most. He thinks it is absurd that Fredriksen is on the pavement, because he has no connection to Bergen. Here you can see how Helge Jordal has censored his name in the series. Photo: Matilde Sunde Solsvik / news – In addition, Fredriksen is also controversial. He is no longer a Norwegian citizen, and he is in legal proceedings with the Norwegian state, says Gjerstad. The billionaire is known to be one of Norway’s biggest tax evaders, and has not paid taxes to Norway since he emigrated in 1978. Gjerstad believes that the Walk of Fame started as something good for the city of Bergen, but that it has completely missed the mark. Helge Jordal has tried to get an answer from Roger Iversen, the promoter of the Bergen Walk of Fame. But the answers don’t seem to be enough. Photo: Matilde Sunde Solsvik / news Helge Jordal, who also has his name on the pavement, wants to know what he is helping to promote. The famous actor therefore tried to get an answer from the owner of the Bergen Walk of Fame, Roger Iversen, about what the criteria are for getting a stone. But Iversen seems to have avoided the question. – So I’m doing this to provoke a response, says Helge enthusiastically. The choice is set in stone The owner of the Bergen Walk of Fame, Roger Iversen, disagrees with the criticism surrounding Fredriksen’s stone. He believes that one must put aside the fact that Fredriksen has been involved in several lawsuits and changed his citizenship, because he has created many jobs and is an inspiration. – That a person who has lived in poverty has managed to build himself up from nothing, that commands great respect, says Iversen about Fredriksen. Roger Iversen stands firm in the decision of John Fredriksen’s stone. Photo: Eivind A. Pettersen / news He says the vast majority are happy about Fredriksen’s stone, because the billionaire has achieved a lot. – And we also have other criminals who have been in prison on our Walk of Fame. Like the Camel. He has pulled himself together and been very positive for society. It is important that those people are not simply forgotten. Iversen believes the stones represent those who make society better, both in Bergen and throughout Norway. – I think it is perfectly fine that Helge disagrees. It is important that everyone is allowed to say what they want, but at the same time that you respect each other. We must not get American conditions where we have to take each other, says Iversen. He says that if someone wants their name permanently removed from the pavement, that is perfectly fine. And that he is familiar with Helge’s criticism. But whatever the criticism, the stone by John Fredriksen is here to stay. – Absurd, says local historian Jo Gjerstad. Published 23/07/2024, at 21.18
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Helge Jordal taped over his picture in the Walk of Fame after billionaire John Fredriksen got stoned – news Vestland
