– The police are analyzing the bag of powder

The short version

• The Jewish community in Trondheim is very concerned after two separate anti-Jewish incidents in less than a week
• Vandalism of Jewish graves at Lademoen and a torch that was thrown into the synagogue shakes the environment
• The police are taking the case seriously and are carrying out forensic investigations
• Municipal and District Minister Erling Sande condemns the incidents and calls for standing together against antisemitism.

View more

It has only been a few days since someone vandalized the Jewish cemetery at Lademoen in Trondheim. Among other things, several stars of David were broken and the graves of several families were exposed to vandalism.

Now another incident has shaken the Jewish community in the city. On Wednesday last week, a torch is said to have been thrown over the five meter high fence that surrounds the synagogue.

Only the handle was left of the torch. It landed on a glass roof above a pergola in the backyard of the Jewish community. The rest was burnt out.

The reactions of the Jewish minority range from fear to anger.

– Some are angry, especially the younger ones, and many older people express that they are very worried, says John Arne Moen, chairman of the Jewish community in Trondheim today.

Local Government and District Minister Erling Sande also reacts to the torch-throwing.

– I am upset to hear that the Jewish community in Trondheim is affected by threatening behaviour, which also happened just before Pesah, writes Sande in an e-mail to VG.

– Incitement and threats are unacceptable and something we take very seriously. The conflict in the Middle East must not create insecurity for Norwegian Jews.

He believes that no one should be subjected to incitement or harassment because of their background, belief in God or outlook on life here in Norway.

– We must stand together against anti-Semitism and harassment. It requires that we all, every single day, stand up against unacceptable attitudes, statements and actions, writes the minister.

– Takes the incident seriously

Now there have been two, apparently, separate anti-Jewish incidents in less than a week in Trondheim.

– We take the matter seriously and understand that the Jewish community is concerned, says police station chief Arve Nordtvedt at the Trondheim city center police station to VG.

In isolation, the discovery of a burned-out torch is something the police would not prioritize in terms of investigation, according to Nordtvedt.

– But the situation and the context surrounding this discovery means that we take the incident seriously and carry out forensic investigations, he says.

Threat or attempted arson?

– Do you know if there is an anti-Jewish environment in the city?

– We are not aware that there is an environment in Trondheim that poses a threat to the Jewish religious community, says Nordtvedt.

– Do the police see the incident as a case of threats or an attempt at arson?

– For the time being, we cannot say anything about it. There will be speculation. We also do not know if the torch was lit when it landed on the roof. We also don’t know when it ended up there.

– Had there been a demonstration in the city on the day the torch was found?

– We are not aware that there was a demonstration on the day in question.

However, Nordtvedt says there are regular demonstrations in Trondheim, both events that have been applied for, and “unofficial” demonstrations, which they do not have an overview of.

Bag is analyzed

The torch was found burned out on a glass roof inside the synagogue’s backyard.

– Do you know if the torch was lit or burned out when it was thrown?

– It does not appear from the case documents that there were burn marks on the roof, but it was a glass roof, so it is difficult to say whether it was on fire when it landed on the roof, says the station manager.

A bag of powder was also found on the glass roof, which is suspected to have been thrown in together with the fire torch.

– We do not know if the two things are connected, but we will have this substance analyzed to clarify whether the bag contains what is written on the outside of the package.

On the package it says “Powder Dry-UX Calcium Chloride (Calcium chloride).

The Jewish community

The Jewish minority in Trondheim consists of around 200 people. They should have been informed about the incident on Wednesday.

– Are people afraid that there may be more attacks?

– Yes, there are many who are very worried and unsure whether anything more may come. That it is a forewarning that something more serious will come, says the chairman of the Jewish community in Trondheim.

– Have you increased the security measures as a result of the incident?

– No, they were greatly reinforced after the attack on Israel on 7 October last year. But in recent days, reinforced camera surveillance has been installed.