A municipal representative for the Progressive Party believes Iceland’s Muslims are “rapists and perpetrators of violence”. When reached by the media to elaborate, he refused to comment.
Stundin reports that Rafn Einarsson, a representative for the Progressive Party on the Breiðholt neighbourhood council, has repeatedly expressed strongly anti-Muslim sentiments, publicly, going so far as to call for the deportation of all of Iceland’s approximately 1,500 Muslims.
Scrolling down Rafn’s Facebook page, the Grapevine took screenshots of a sample of his publicly-shared offerings, with underlined portions translated and direct links to the posts themselves:
“Those who come from Muslim countries are in every instance rapists and perpetrators of violence.” (Link)
“Muslims have nothing to do here, and they should take their plot [of land for building a mosque] away from them.” (Link)
“It is a misunderstanding that Icelanders hate Jews, Icelanders don’t like Muslims, not Jews.” (Link)
“That trash that call themselves Muslims and behave like this should not be allowed in the country.” (Link)
“We all protest that they [Muslims] be allowed here.” (Link)
When Stundin reached Rafn to ask him to elaborate or explain, he declined to comment, saying, “I think I will not make any statements about the matter today.”
The Progressive Party of Reykjavík received considerable criticism last year for what many saw as decidedly anti-Muslim rhetoric, in particular from city councilperson Sveinbjörg Birna Sveinbjörnsdóttir. Sveinbjörg and other Progressives made repeated remarks during campaign season that depicted Muslims as a cause for societal concern.
UPDATE: MBL reports that the Progressives of Reykjavík met today over Rafn’s Facebook posts. They have categorically denied his opinions are shared by the party, and he has resigned from the neighbourhood council.
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