OSLO DISTRICT COURT (Nettavisen): Frida Skjelbred Steinbakk and Calum Morris Macintyre from the group Stopp Oljeletinga 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 event here:
The prosecution believed that criminal guilt could be proven beyond any doubt, and that the case should therefore be settled with a preliminary injunction without consideration 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 pitch.
– Slight disruption to the match
The two protesters explained that they tried to disrupt the game minimally, by jumping onto the grass when the ball was nowhere 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 replies:
– We believe the fine of NOK 12,000 is a disproportionate punishment in light of the disruption we created.
– We 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 do like you?
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 held up a banner in the stands.
– There were 23,625 spectators at Ullevaal, you stopped the match for one minute and 20 seconds. If all the spectators were to storm the pitch three by three, as you did, it would lead to a postponement of 10,500 minutes, that is to say just over a week. Should everyone be like you?
– This protest must be seen in light of the fact that we are in an absolute emergency. We are on the brink of total collapse and are about to lose our livelihood. It is in the public interest that we raise this issue and have a discussion about it. It also applies to all those who were present at Ullevaal Stadium that day. We are all in danger, says Steinbakk to Nettavisen.
– But then should everyone do like you?
– Everyone should take action and try to solve the situation we are in now, and sound the alarm with the strongest means we have, says Steinbakk.
– The TV companies often choose not to film protests on football pitches. What do you think about it?
– I fully understand that, considering that lane storming is perhaps something they want to avoid. So they will not give it unnecessary attention, says Steinbakk.
Read also: New research: Predicts the weather for the summer
Responded to Equinor advertisements
Macintyre believes the NFF should expect demonstrations at the matches they organize, 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 at these matches, says Macintyre.
– There were cheers and applause from the stands when you were put on the ground by the guards. How does it feel?
– We don’t know for sure, maybe they cheered because we were on the field demonstrating? replies Macintyre with a small smile.
– Probably not, but it’s not necessarily the people in 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 the 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 has finished, Equinor advertisements appear 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 people’s lives right now, without it having any consequences for them, says Steinbakk.
Planned demonstration
She believes there was a clear connection between the message 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 helps to sponsor Norwegian football. Those who contribute to the climate crisis get away with it every day, while we have to pay a fine.
In his questioning, police attorney Anders Briskodden spent a lot of time confirming that the campaigners were at 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 field. In the questioning with the police attorney, Steinbakk acknowledged that she would not leave the field 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 pitch will appear in court at a later date.
