Frederic Hauge, longtime leader of Norwegian environmental organization Bellona, became a victim of what police agree was political violence this week. Hauge wasn’t out demonstrating or leading any organized protests as he often has, but instead simply unloading luggage from his car at the start of a long holiday weekend in the coastal town of Arendal.
Bellona founder Frederic Hauge is a well-known figure in Norway who has long campaigned against more oil exploration and production and for more climate- and environmentally friendly energy. This week he was a victim of what police believe was political violence. PHOTO: Bellona
Hauge, once hailed by the internationally distributed TIME magazine as among the world’s most influential leaders, has no doubt he was attacked because of his political work. “It came as a shock, but that’s not the worst thing,” Hauge told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) on Friday. “The worst is the feeling of being physically attacked for your politics and the work you do.”
Newspaper VG carried the first report of how Hauge was confronted by a man while removing luggage from his car in a residential area of Arendal, best known for its long maritime history and scenic location on Norway’s southern coast. The town is also now the site of the annual Arendalsuka event that gathers top politicians, national organizations, business owners and other newsmakers every August for a week of meetings, discussions and debate.
“He came over to me and asked if I was me,” Hauge said. “When I answered ‘yes,’ he became very aggressive. He talked about how I was destroying the world by killing poor people who weren’t getting money because of subsidies to battery factories and the green shift.”
Punched in the head
Hauge said that when he tried to get back into the car, the man punched him, and when Hauge then tried to back up, he said his assailant punched him again, in the head. At that point a couple out walking their dog approached and Hauge was able to call for help. Police arrived shortly thereafter but the man had disappeared.
Morten Eriksen of the local police confirmed, without identifying Hauge, that they had received a report of “what seems to be unprovoked violence … based on what the victim stands for.” Since political violence is suspected and has special priority, a full investigation is underway. Hauge could provide police with “a good description” of the assailant and police were also collecting information from local residents and video surveillance cameras.
“This looks like a targeted attacked based on who the target was,” Eriksen told NRK. Hauge, meanwhile, was clearly shaken by the incident.
“The climate debate has become very polarized and we have noticed much greater agression against our work,” he told NRK. “This is more than a blinking warning light about how the temperature in Norwegian politics is rising.”
After a visit to the local hospital for a medical check he planned to take it easy for a few days because of a suspected concussion.
“Then I’ll work on not being bitter and continue to do my job,” Hauge said. “We can’t let this affect us, that’s the most important.”
NewsinEnglish.no/Nina Berglund