Comedian and TV profile Atle Antonsen (53) spent five hours in questioning with the police, after he was reported for hate speech by social debater Sumaya Jirde Ali (26), after an incident at Bar Boca in Oslo, in October.
It writes TV 2who have been given access to the interrogation.
During the questioning, which took place on 3 November, Antonsen said that he was “wandering around in some kind of sexual situation”.
Among other things, the 53-year-old is said to have said that Ali was “too dark-skinned to be here”.
Antonsen later apologized for the incident and said that it was meant as a bad attempt at humour.
– Relieved to be believed
“In top shape”
In the interrogation, Antonsen says that he and his long-time colleague Bård Tufte Johansen (53) had drunk wine at the Chat Noir bar before they arrived at Bar Boca.
Johansen left the scene quickly and Antonsen remained seated with colleague Johan Golden (48). Antonsen says that the comrades “were in top form”, according to TV 2.
DISMISSED: Author and social debater Sumaya Jirde Ali reported Antonsen for hate speech. The report was later dropped by the attorney general Photo: Beate Oma Dahle / NTB
sea view
“Knocked out a joke”
Antonsen explained during the questioning that at this time he had been drinking wine, beer and spirits, as he himself remembers.
Antonsen then says that he spotted Ali and then “threw out a joke” where he said: “geez, do they let brown people in here too”.
Ending as editor
– Not funny
In a post on Facebook after the incident, Antonsen wrote that he has always respected Ali, and describes her as a role model with a strong and important voice.
– That was my starting point when I went over to talk to her. As everyone understands, it went really wrong. Sorry, Sumaya Jirde Ali. Sorry, the rest of you who were present that night. And apologies to all the rest of you who get upset or pissed off by my extremely clumsy attempt at being funny. This was not funny. This is not funny. It never will be either.
The comedian and TV profile states that, following the incident, he will reassess his relationship with alcohol – and especially how he communicates with others when he is under the influence of alcohol.
Dismissed by the Attorney General
The report was dropped by the Attorney General on 6 January, who decided that Antonsen’s statement that Sumaya Jirde Ali was too dark to be in a bar was a failed attempt at satire on racism.
Racism in the humor industry: – Dropping the Christmas table
– The Attorney General has decided to maintain the closure with the same reasoning as the State Attorney, writes State Attorney Ingelin Hauge in the Oslo State Attorney’s Office.
The Attorney General’s decision came after State Attorney Hauge dropped the report against Atle Antonsen in November. The decision was appealed and then sent to the Attorney General, who decided the case on 6 January.
– The decision is final, and the Attorney General’s decision cannot be appealed.
