Again at the "democracy" festival in Norway: Pro-Israel organization's tent vandalized and broken into
A year after graffiti reading "genocide" was sprayed on the tent of the MIFF organization ("With Israel for Peace"), another serious incident occurred at the political event in the city of Arendal. Police collected security camera footage and removed the suspects, and a representative of the embassy attacked: "When words fail, what action will the government take?"
Precisely at an event that presents itself as a celebration of democracy and freedom of speech, the tent of the Christian pro-Israel organization "With Israel for Peace" (MIFF – Med Israel for fred) was vandalized again over the weekend at Arendalsuka — the largest political festival in Norway.
After the leader of the "Palestine Committee" in the country was documented last year changing the inscription on the tent to "for genocide," this year the tent was vandalized once again — and even broken into from the inside. Arendalsuka, held annually in the city of Arendal in southern Norway, is defined by its organizers as the country's "democracy festival." The festival, which lasts five days, took place this year from August 10-14, and brought together politicians, government officials, business people, civil society organizations, academics, and media figures.
Alongside the discussions and conferences, hundreds of events and booths of parties and organizations take place on the city streets. However, for the Christian pro-Israel organization, the event has also become an arena for confrontations in the last year. On the night between Thursday and Friday, the organization's tent at the festival was vandalized again. According to the organization, not only were the walls damaged this time — the perpetrators also entered the tent and vandalized its contents. The local police stated that they have material from security cameras and that the suspects were removed from the area.
MIFF responded sharply to the vandalism, writing that "enemies of democracy and freedom of speech should never win in Norway, and certainly not at Arendalsuka." The organization called on the public to support its activities following the damage caused to the tent and emphasized that the incident is particularly serious because it takes place within the framework defined as a democracy festival — a place where parties, organizations, and citizens are supposed to meet face-to-face and express opposing views. The organization also published photos from the event and wrote that "the cowardly thugs do not dare to confront MIFF in a free and democratic debate and therefore damaged the tent."
The pro-Israel organization noted, as mentioned, that this is the second time in a year that the organization's tent has been vandalized during the festival. In August 2024, Line Khateeb, leader of the Palestine Committee in Norway, was documented changing the inscription on the tent using graffiti; instead of the words "Israel" and "peace," it read "genocide," so the inscription became "for genocide." Khateeb confirmed the act at the time and said that when an organization "supports genocide," in her words, it should expect a reaction. MIFF filed a complaint with the police following the incident. The proceedings regarding Khateeb later ended with a fine of 6,000 kroner and the payment of compensation to the organization in the amount of 3,261 kroner for replacing the damaged tent wall.
The management of Arendalsuka also condemned the vandalism last year and clarified that although a democratic festival is intended to allow meetings and debates between people with different opinions, there are rules prohibiting damage to the property of other participants.
Eitan Halon, the head of the Israeli embassy in Oslo, published a response in which he addressed the repeated vandalism:
"After the MIFF tent was vandalized earlier this week in Arendal, Norwegian politicians said it was unacceptable in a democracy. Last night, the tent was torn to shreds. When words fail, what action will the government take?"
