The TV personality Svein Østvik was among the protesters who burned their bandages outside the Storting on Saturday morning.
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About 200 people showed up at Eidsvoll square on Saturday to, among other things, protest against the coronary restrictions. Among them was artist and TV personality Svein Østvik (59), better known as Charter-Svein.
In the middle of the crowd stood a fire pit where the protesters could see face masks going up in flames. Østvik threw the mask himself.
– I am here today to show sympathy with those who think it has gone too far, I think so too, Østvik says to VG in one of the breaks between the appeals on stage.
CLOSE TOGETHER: The around 200 demonstrators stood close together at Eidsvoll square.
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– We have an immune system that can withstand most things. Now we make the whole world sick. That no one reacts to that morbidity is incredible, says Østvik.
In Copenhagen created a demonstration against the coronavirus with around 600 participants major traffic problems on Saturday.
The demonstration in Oslo had been applied for and given permission. According to the police, the demonstration went smoothly. Today’s demonstration is one of several corona demonstrations held in central Oslo recently.
– In Norway is 278 people admitted at the time of writing and 684 people who have died from the virus in Norway. Are these numbers alone not enough to take the virus seriously?
– No, I do not think so. Or yes, it’s serious, but seriousness is something completely different than “lockdown”. Of course it is serious that people die, but that is not what we are standing here and demonstrating against.
– You are demonstrating against measures that we have seen help to keep the infection back?
– It may have held it back a bit, but there is not much that speaks for it really, says Østvik.
Studies on the effect of face masks done in Germany show that the use of face masks can reduce infection of covid-19 by 45 percent.
The Holden committee has been commissioned by the Norwegian Directorate of Health to investigate the consequences of measures for handling the covid-19 pandemic. In his latest report do they see a clear connection between measures and the spread of the coronavirus:
“For society, infection control measures are valuable because they limit the spread and overall burden of disease. Limiting the spread will contribute to fewer people becoming infected and seriously ill, and it will reduce worry and anxiety that oneself or relatives may become ill and die. Furthermore, infection control measures will ensure that the capacity of the health service is not exceeded, both for covid-19 patients and other patient groups. “
Østvik was last seen on TV as one of the participants at «Torpet» which airs on TV 2. In the program, several Norwegian celebrities fought for a place on the “Farmen kjendis” farm. It was through the TV 3 program “Charter fever” that he first became known.
CHEERS: Svein Østvik (center) claps for the appellants who stood on the stage during the demonstration. Photo: Helge Mikalsen, VG
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Held a minute’s silence
During Saturday’s demonstration, a minute of silence was also observed for Hans Gaarder who died last Tuesday. Gaarder was diagnosed with corona after he died. On the stage in front of the protesters, there were both appeals and singing. The appellants talked about several known conspiracy theories surrounding the corona vaccine.
John Færseth is a media expert and is one of Norway’s greatest experts on conspiracy theories. He himself was present during Saturday’s demonstration as an observer.
He thinks it is difficult to say how widespread the conspiracies that were promoted at Saturday’s event are, but he thinks they may have spread, especially in the last two years.
– It is, among other things, that Donald Trump has openly given conspiracy theories publicity and legitimacy. At the same time, the coronavirus has caused people to read things online they have not seen before, and fall into what we call a “rabbit hole” and thus become conspiracy theorists.
—-SPECTATOR: John Færseth himself was present as an observer during Saturday’s demonstration. Photo: NTB
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Expert: – Anti-Semites among the protesters
Færseth points out that several of today’s speakers are well-known conspiracy theorists.
– The demonstrators claim this is just demonstrations for freedom and love. That may be it in isolation. At the same time, we see that two out of four appellants today are known anti-Semites, says Færseth.
– One of them has written about how the corona measures follow a plan, and take place under the auspices of the “Zionist WHO”. He is openly anti-Semitic. The other claims on Facebook that the Jews themselves were behind the Holocaust.
At the same time, Færseth believes that the most harmful thing about today’s demonstration is the large crowd that was gathered without a bandage and distance.
– The scariest thing is probably to think about how these people who do not want to wear a mask behave when they are not at a demonstration.
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