The 2024 Legal Defense Fundraiser has ended early due to the Board's decision to settle the suit. Donations will go towards the creation of a legal defense fund. Discussion on the matter can be found at the RationalMedia Foundation noticeboard. Thank you for your generous support.
Document.no
Nordic power & White nationalism |
![]() |
Concepts |
Protecting Eurabia |
Movements & parties |
People |
Fake news |
Inventing "The Other" Islamophobia |
![]() |
Fear And Loathing |
The real regressives |
Document.no is a Norwegian Islamophobic and extremist[1] blog/forum founded by Hans Rustad in 2003, that is part of the Counter-jihad movement. It became known to a mainstream audience in 2011, due to its association with Anders Behring Breivik, a supporter and frequent contributor to the forum. It is known for its anti-Muslim views, its opposition to immigration, its support of far-right conspiracy theories, and its support of the Israeli over-the-top far-right, and it regularly publishes far-right authors such as Geert Wilders, Bruce Bawer and Barbro Jöberger ("Julia Caesar"). According to the Financial Times, it is "a website rife with anti-Muslim and hard right rhetoric."[2] It is Norway's largest anti-immigrant website. In many ways, it can be described as a sister website of the Danish-language site Snaphanen and the English-language site Gates of Vienna.
Document.no's owner Hans Rustad also operates a small-time publishing business from his home, known as Document Forlag (Document Press) and a Danish sister website (document.dk) whose contributors overlap with the circle behind Trykkefrihedsselskabet. In 2015 Rustad announced that he was publishing a book written by the far-right blogger and conspiracy theorist Fjordman (Peder Are Nøstvold Jensen), after it had been turned down by seven proper publishing companies in Norway.[3] Fjordman is notable for stating that "Islam and all those who practice it must be total and physically removed from the Western world," and for being Breivik's main idol. He has been described as a Nazi by Norwegian media.[4]
Ideology
Lars Gule, Norway's most prominent humanist and an expert on political extremism and racism, has described Document.no as "a far-right web forum" that is "dominated by Islamophobic and anti-immigration commentary."[5] An official report on extremism on the Internet prepared by the Norwegian Police University College and published by the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security cites Document.no as an example of an "extremist website" alongside Stormfront and Gates of Vienna.[1] According to Hope not Hate, Document is a "nationalist online blog," "one of the most important right wing blogs in the country" and "anti-immigration and anti-Islamist in stance and strongly pro-Israel."[6] The socialist MP Snorre Valen has compared Document to the infamous Nazi propaganda-tabloid "Der Stürmer".[7]
The website's owner Hans Rustad holds conservative Christian beliefs and his website regularly complains about the lack of (socially conservative) Christian values in society. The website also frequently supports global warming denialism. Generally, the website is positioned to the right of Norway's most right-wing party, Fremskrittspartiet.
Racism
The website strongly promotes racism in various forms. Usually this takes the form of anti-Muslim sentiment, expressed in frequent conspiracy theories about Muslims plotting to take over Europe, complaints about immigration from Muslim countries or meticulous reporting on crimes committed by Muslims, but Document.no also advocates racist beliefs directed at other groups. For example, one of their contributors, the racist blogger Barbro Jöberger, who writes as "Julia Caesar," is noted for her claim that immigration of African people is a "mass import of mentally retarded people."
Hans Rustad and Document.no have also campaigned against the establishment of a multi-religious centre at Stiklestad in Norway, not because they oppose religion, but because they oppose other religions.[8]
Conspiracy theories about mainstream conservatives
Document.no likes to describe itself as "conservative" however, it is nothing near conservative in the Norwegian, or indeed western European, sense of the word. The ideology of the website combines US-style wingnut beliefs with conspiracy theories about the mainstream political right in Norway. This is also clearly articulated by the website. In a long rant clearly resembling Anders Behring Breivik's notorious manifesto, Document.no for example claims that the Conservative Party of Norway, Norway's leading centre-right conservative party, is working towards a goal "to eradicate our independent nation" by promoting "mass immigration, multiculturalism, the abolition of the state church, infanticide [i.e. abortion], gay marriage, gender equality in the military, the maintenance of the cultural elite media hegemony, rehabilitation instead of punishment, unconstitutional mass surveillance of innocent citizens, and a lot of other things which would have made [the Marxist] Antonio Gramsci proud."[9]
Association with Anders Behring Breivik and publishing plans
Anders Behring Breivik was a frequent participant in debates on Document.no. According to the BBC, "Anders Behring Breivik left racist, extremist right-wing comments along with fellow anti-Muslims" on the site.[10] He also sought to start a print publication and a Norwegian version of the Tea Party movement in cooperation with Rustad, who initially expressed interest, although he ultimately turned down the proposal because Breivik did not have the contacts he promised.[11] However, in 2014, the website apparently continued with the plans to establish a publishing business, and apparently hired Halvor Fosli as "publishing editor" after a group of anonymous far-right donors donated an amount of money for this purpose.[12][13]
On being called "Nazi"
In 2011, Hans Rustad complained to the Professional Committee of the Press over an article in a local newspaper which described him as a chief exponent of the "brown goo," stating that "it does not matter what the garbage call themselves, this is very similar to Nazism" and concluding that "we do not want Behring Breivik, Rustad and other nutjobs to set the agenda." The committee ended up criticizing the newspaper over calling him a "Nazi", mainly because it generally discouraged the term when referring to contemporary individuals.[14] Indeed, the website doesn't appear to promote Nazism in its traditional form; instead it promotes a similar racist ideology, where Muslims have replaced Jews as the main target.
Affiliated people
- Hans Rustad (founder)
- Fjordman (Peder Are Nøstvold Jensen) (the website's affiliated small-time publishing business published his book)
- Nina Hjerpset-Østlie (formerly one of the main authors)
- Anders Behring Breivik (former contributor)
- Geert Wilders (contributor)
- Bruce Bawer (contributor)
- Barbro Jöberger (writing as "Julia Caesar") (contributor)
- Christian Skaug (one of the main authors)
- Manfred Gerstenfeld (contributor)
- Halvor Fosli ("publishing editor")
- Bjørn Stærk (vocal supporter)
- Hanne Tolg Parminter (writing as Hanne Tolg) (one of the main authors)
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Inger Marie Sunde, Forebygging av radikalisering og voldelig ekstremisme på internett [Prevention of radicalization and violent extremism on the Internet] (p. 28), Norwegian Police University College, Report 1/2013
- ↑ Andrew Ward; Robin Wigglesworth (2011-07-25). "Killings sure to stir immigration debate". Financial Times.
- ↑ Hans Rustad, "Document sørger for at Fjordmans bok kan selges i Norge," [link to far right website removed], 15 Dec 2015
- ↑ Marie Melgård, Fjordman foreslo nazi-løsning, Dagbladet, 6 August 2011
- ↑ Peter O'Neil (2011-07-27). "Expert says he confronted mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik about his views". The Vancouver Sun.
- ↑ International ‘Counter-Jihadist’ map: Norway, Hope not Hate
- ↑ De dehumaniserende tegningene, Aftenposten
- ↑ Slåss videre mot flerkulturelt Stiklestad, Aftenposten
- ↑ Åpent brev til norske konservative, Document.no
- ↑ Goril, Liss (2001-09-11). "Attacks strike at Norway's values". Bbc.co.uk.
- ↑ NTB. "Tungt å bli rost av den terrorsiktede". DN.no. Retrieved 2011-07-24.
- ↑ – Vis kortene, Klassekampen
- ↑ På vei til Document.no, Klassekampen
- ↑ Complaint by Hans Rustad to the Professional Committee of the Press