Norwegian FOR party and youth wing to participate in Oct. 7 demonstration in support of Hamas

The event slogan is "Support the Palestinian resistance!" and the promotional image is of Hamas and Palestinian terrorists on top of a tank on October 7.

Norway's Peace and Justice (FOR) political party is participating in a demonstration in Oslo on October 7 “in support of Hamas, Iran and Hezbollah.”

The activist group "Solidarity Network" in Oslo is organizing the October 7 event. The event slogan is "Support the Palestinian resistance!" and the promotional image is of Hamas and Palestinian terrorists on top of a tank on October 7, 2023, after having broken through the Gaza defensive wall.

Affiliated organizations include: The Lebanese Association in Norway; Peace and Justice, FOR; FOR Youth; Resistencia Intifada; Resistencia Oslo; Student Intifada and Young Communists.

In comments on her Facebook on Wednesday, FOR party leader Marielle Leraand wrote that "the entire Norwegian parliament buys into the media narrative, repeating the lie that it is possible for Israel, supplied with weapons from the US, Germany, and other NATO countries, to be a “victim” of a “terror attack from Hamas.”"

'The real terrorists are Israel, the US, and NATO'

"No, the real terrorists are Israel, the US, but also all countries that are part of the NATO alliance, including Norway," she said.

"The least we can do is therefore support the struggle that Palestinians themselves are waging," she said.

In an interview with Filter Nyheter the previous day, Leraand said October 7 was "a counterattack against a genocide that was already underway."

Leraand has previously refused to condemn Hamas and Hezbollah, for example saying in a recent meeting: "We recognize that it is a legitimate resistance struggle that Hezbollah, Iran and Hamas are carrying out. In our part of the world, it is not allowed to say that, that we support their struggle. Because it is a liberation struggle for the Palestinian people."

According to Aftenposten, Oslo Socialist Youth (SU) previously participated in the event but has since chosen to withdraw.

FOR was founded in 2023 by Leraand, a former deputy leader of the left-wing Red Party (Rødt).

The party presents itself as an anti-war, anti-imperialist, and peace-oriented movement.