THE ONLINE NEWSPAPER: Frida Skjelbred Steinbakk and Calum Morris MacIntyre from the group Stopp Oljeletinga’s local team in Sogndal stormed the Ullevaal mat during the important international match against Georgia last year. Later they were both fined NOK 12,000 for disorderly conduct.
See the incident here:
The prosecution believed that criminal guilt could be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, and that the case should therefore be settled with a preliminary injunction without proceedings in court. The two oil protesters chose not to accept these fines, and on Wednesday 3 April they therefore had to appear in the Oslo District Court.
– I do not take sitting here in court lightly. The demonstration was one of the worst things I’ve done emotionally, but many of us have reached a point now. We are frustrated, MacIntyre said in the witness box.
During the court storming, he ran towards one of the football goals to tie himself up with plastic strips, he told the court. He did not manage to do this, but was put on the ground by security guards, and was dragged off the track.
– Trust disruption of the match
The two protesters explained that they tried to disrupt the game minimally, by jumping onto the grass when the ball was not near the goal. Video evidence presented in court showed that the match was stopped for one minute and 20 seconds.
When asked by Nettavisen why they acknowledged the facts in court, but refused to pay the fine, Steinbakk replied:
– I think the fine of NOK 12,000 is a disproportionate punishment in light of the disturbance we created.
– I also have a right to protest. It is important for us to bring that point to the court, says MacIntyre to Nettavisen in the hallway outside the courtroom.
– Should everyone act like a diver?
The two said in court that this was a “very small disturbance to get an important message out”, and that they would not have received the same attention if they had held up a banner in the stands.
– There were 23,625 supporters at Ullevaal, they stopped the match for one minute and 20 seconds. If all the contributors were to storm the track three by three, as they did, it would lead to a delay of 10,500 minutes, which means just over a week. Should everyone do like you?
– This protest must be seen in the light of the fact that we are in an absolute emergency. We are on the verge of total collapse and are about to lose our livelihood. It is in the public interest that I raise this issue and have a discussion about it. It also applies to all those who were present at the Ullevaal stadium that day. We are all in danger, says Steinbakk to Nettavisen.
– But then should everyone do as you did?
– Everyone should take action and try to solve the situation we are in now, and sound the alarm with the strongest remedies we have, says Steinbakk.
– TV companies often choose not to film protests on football pitches. What do they think about it?
– I fully understand that, considering that lane storming is perhaps something they wish to avoid. So they don’t want to give it undue attention, says Steinbakk.
Responded to Equinor advertising
MacIntyre believes the NFF should expect demonstrations at the matches they arrange, because of the Equinor advertisements in the national team arena.
– I think they shouldn’t be surprised at all. In the future, perhaps even more people will choose to protest these campaigns, says MacIntyre.
– There were cheers and applause from the stands when you were put on the ground by the guards. How did it feel?
– I don’t know for sure, maybe they cheered because I was on the field demonstrating? replies MacIntyre with a small smile.
– Probably not, but it’s not necessarily the people at the stadium we’re trying to reach. It is to create a debate in the media and a conversation in society, he adds.
The two demonstrators reacted in particular to the fact that there was a minute’s silence for all flood victims in Libya before the match.
– That extreme weather event is made 50 times more likely due to the burning of fossil energy, and right after that minute was over, Equinor advertising appeared all over the Ullevaal stadium. It is a paradox for me that the NFF can advertise for an industry that destroys the basis of life and takes the lives of people right now, without it having any consequences for them, says Steinbakk.
Planned demonstration
She believes there was a clear connection between the stall and the place where they demonstrated.
– The demonstration was aimed at the oil industry and during the match there was an advertisement for Equinor, which sponsors Norwegian football. Those who contributed to the climate crisis escape every day, while we have to pay a fine.
In his questioning, police prosecutor Anders Briskodden spent a lot of time confirming that the protesters were at the Ullevaal stadium with the intention of demonstrating. The two admitted during questioning that this was planned, and that they were at the match to demonstrate.
The two protesters were dragged off the track. In the questioning with the police attorney, Steinbakk admitted that she would not leave the track herself, if she had the opportunity to do so.
The verdict in the case will be handed down within a couple of weeks.
A third person who tried to storm the track will appear in court at a later date.
also read
– Many of us have had enough now
also read
TV 2 has reported her to the police after the “Shall we dance” storming: – This is what we have to do
also read
Defended the Ullevaal storming – but not everyone was convinced
also read
The nurse Frida (28) understands well that people get angry at her: – We feel the same way
also read
Defended civil disobedience: – I’m trying to be a fire alarm
also read