“Hate speech and hate crime are a threat to democracy. As leaders of democratically elected assemblies, we as presidents of parliament have a singular responsibility to oppose and confront discriminatory speech and behaviour and to combat hate crime,” said President of the Storting Olemic Thommessen.

A commorative day across Europe

On the day before the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament opened in Oslo, the President of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, Anne Brasseur, and President of the Storting Olemic Thommessen made a joint statement that backed the proposal of a European day of remembrance for the victims of hate crime. They invited the presidents of parliament gathered in Oslo, almost 60 in total, to urge all their parliamentarians to vote for the proposal when it is considered in the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) in October.

If the proposal is adopted, a European Day for the Victims of Hate Crime on 22 July could be a reality for all 47 member countries of the Council of Europe from next summer.

 

President of the Storting Olemic Thommessen with President of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly, Anne Brasseur at the University of Oslo.  

 

Read the joint statement here

“Hate kills”

In the statement, jointly issued by the Council of Europe and the Storting on Wednesday 10 September, Brasseur and Thommessen said the following: “Three years after the terrible massacre at Utøya and the bombing in Oslo by a person who viewed his victims as traitors for supporting immigration and multiculturalism, hate continues to kill. Terrorists only seek to propagate hatred and violence, fully demonstrated by the barbarity of the recent beheadings posted on the internet, bringing this hatred and barbarity to new levels.
 
Hate propaganda is increasing in the political arena and extremist parties have entered parliament at national and European level.
 
We, as parliamentarians, have the responsibility to speak out against hatred. The fight against xenophobia, racism and mounting nationalistic extremism requires a resolute response from all democratic parties, over and above political divisions.”
 
In the statement, they gave there unequivocal support to the No Hate Speech Movement (called the Stopp hatprat campaign in Norway), which has been working to establish 22July as a day for victims of hate crime.

“… we fully support the No Hate Speech Movement, the youth campaign initiated and co-ordinated by the Council of Europe to raise awareness of and combat hate speech online. The youth campaign has called for a day of remembrance, and to set the date of 22 July as a symbol and a reminder of the victims of hate crime.

Let us promote this idea and make 22 July a day of remembrance for victims of hate crime, showing solidarity with those targeted and those left to mourn, while raising public awareness about hate crime and its consequences for society,” said Brasseur and Thommessen