A Hatchet Job on SIAD

In show business they say that any publicity is good publicity.

So I guess we should be happy that the MSM has finally mentioned Vigilant Freedom, even though we’re described in the news article in question as the international allies of an armed “extreme right network”.

And in the Danish press, no less! Denmark is first in everything.

You all know by now that the policies of Vigilant Freedom (pdf format) specifically and explicitly disavow violence as a means of attaining our goals.

But now it appears that the article, which describes a demonstration scheduled for this Saturday by SIAD and its affiliated groups, is in fact a smear job by a lefty Danish journalist. I contacted Anders Gravers, the chairman of SIAD, and he had this to say about the story:

It is a terrible lying story from one end to the other. I was called by the journalist about our demonstration this Saturday in Aalborg. He asked about what “anti-jihad” is. I said the Muslims made jihad, and we will make anti-jihad. Non-violent, of course. I mentioned that three times to the journalist!

Then he read on our webpage that we had a meeting with some foreigners, and asked if we worked together with them. I said, SIAD does. Not Anti-Jihad Denmark. And I didn’t mention Vigilant Freedom

And then it was a complete shock to see that he didn’t write what I had said, but talked about armed violence and the extreme right wing instead.

There is someone in one of the other groups who talked about self-defense after SIAD was attacked in January; that was the chairman of Frit Danmark. But what he is talking about is an airgun, which is legal in Denmark.

And the journalist himself remarked that he had been in jail for throwing paint on our Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. He was angry that Denmark participated in the war in Iraq and then he attacked our ministers and shouted: “There’s blood on your hands!” He got four months in jail.

All this time he was talking to me — and he’s a far left journalist, who has attacked our Prime Minister and Foreign Minister with paint!

We have just written a letter to his editor and complained about him. We want a dementi (retraction), and an apology of course. He had made up the whole story before he phoned me, that is now obvious to see.

The Center for Vigilant Freedom is also sending a letter to the editor demanding a retraction.

This article, like so many others put out by the MSM, is nothing but an attempt to portray non-violent criticism of Islam as violent, in an attempt to incite violence against any groups that stand up for the Danish constitution.

Here’s the entire piece from today’s Avisen.dk. Thanks to Steen for the tip, and let’s give an especially big Gates of Vienna thank-you to Phanarath, who translated the article with astonishing rapidity, and on very short notice:

Armed network wants to stop Islam in Denmark

With loaded guns and support from abroad a newly founded extreme right network wants to set the agenda in the debate about immigration.

Danish Muslims have a new enemy.

This Saturday the network “Anti-Jihad Danmark’ will hit the streets in a demonstration for “more freedom for citizens - less control by gangs”. The initiative is meant to make the debate about immigration the point.

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International contact

“Criminal immigrants must be kept behind bars, have their citizenship removed and be sent out of the country,” said Anders Gravers, spokesman for the network, about the reason for the demonstration.

The spokesman is also the chairman of the group Stop Islamiseringen Af Danmark [Stop the Islamization of Denmark] which was earlier subject to a ban against demonstrating for fear of trouble.

Now he has joined forces with a number of controversial groups on the far right, and he has made contacts with the international organization “Vigilant Freedom”. This organization gives support to Islam-critical movements all over the world and was recently involved in founding a Scandinavian section of this anti-jihad movement.

In ‘Anti-Jihad Danmark’ among others, is the former chairman of Dansk Front [Danish Front], Julius Børgesen, and his new group Frie Danske Nationalister [free Danish Nationalists]. Earlier this year Julius Børgesen was convicted and sentenced to month in jail for illegal possession of arms and for encouraging the burning of the home of the minister of internal affairs.

With weapons in hand

In this new network weapons will hardly be seen as a problem, since one of the main forces behind it is Frit Danmark [A Free Denmark], which directly encourages its members to carry arms in the fight for the fatherland.

“We bring loaded guns to our meetings, but there is nothing illegal in that. However, we will not bring them on Saturday,” insists Frit Danmark’s chairman, Michael Ellegaard.

The North Jutland Police confirm that they have received notice concerning Saturday’s demonstration and informs us that they are taking precautions in anticipation of eventual counter-demonstrations.

Additional translation of that last sentence: Watch out for the autonomer! They will be out in force to respond to the “armed right-wing extremists”.

Wait and see.