A controversial American author and Anti-Muslim crusader, Robert Spencer, claims he was poisoned by a young Icelandic Leftist at a Reykjavík restaurant. Spencer makes the claim on his website frontpagemag.com. A similar incidence of a politically motivated attack has never taken place in Iceland, and there is not a single example of the use of poison in recent Icelandic political history.
Spencer spent the night at a Reykjavík hospital. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police has confirmed to the local news site Vísir that Spencer has filed charges, and that the police is conducting a preliminary investigation. The Police has not publicly confirmed any other aspect of Spencer's story.
Held a speech to warn of the effects of Islam on Iceland
Spencer held a talk at a Reykjavík hotel on Thursday, where he warned Icelanders of the dangers of the impact of Islam on Icelandic society. The talk was organized by a local group which describes itself as fighting for European Culture. 948 Muslims live in Iceland, just 0.28% of the population.
The event had come under heavy criticism from Icelandic human rights groups which argue Spencer is guilty of spreading hate and prejudice.
A group 50 people had gathered in front of the hotel to protest the meeting. Several hundred people attended Spencer's talk. The two groups had a tense face-off.
Read more: Tense confrontation between protesters, attendees at lecture by US Anti-Muslim crusader
A journalist covering the event told the local newspaper Stundin that the protesters had been threatened by an attendee who identified himself as a security guard from the event organizers. When Hotel security was alerted to the threatening behavior of the man he was shown out of the hotel.
Claims he was poisoned at a Reykjavík restaurant
According to a post on Spencer's website he went to a local restaurant after the event to celebrate the success of the evening:
At this crowded Reykjavik establishment, I was quickly recognized. A young Icelander called me by name, shook my hand, and said he was a big fan. Shortly after that, another citizen of that famously genteel and courteous land also called me by name, shook my hand, and said “F**k you.”
We took that marvelous Icelandic greeting as a cue to leave. But the damage had already been done. About fifteen minutes later, when I got back in my hotel room, I began to feel numbness in my face, hands, and feet. I began trembling and vomiting. My heart was racing dangerously. I spent the night in a Reykjavik hospital.
Spencer says that one of the two men had put something in his drink. He also says he went to the police, which acquired surveillance tapes from the restaurant and were able to identify the two men.
Spencer lays the blame for the alleged attack with the media:
I should have seen it coming. After all, my visit had triggered a firestorm of abuse in the Icelandic press, all based on American Leftist talking points. Every story about my visit had the same elements: the notice that the SPLC claims that I purvey “hate speech,” which is a subjective judgment used to shut down dissent from the establishment line…
He goes on to complain that his lecture was not covered by local media in the manner he feels it should have. Spencer was interviewed by the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service and all news outlets in Iceland covered the event and the criticism which it received.
A controversial American author and Anti-Muslim crusader, Robert Spencer, claims he was poisoned by a young Icelandic Leftist at a Reykjavík restaurant. Spencer makes the claim on his website frontpagemag.com. A similar incidence of a politically motivated attack has never taken place in Iceland, and there is not a single example of the use of poison in recent Icelandic political history.
Spencer spent the night at a Reykjavík hospital. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police has confirmed to the local news site Vísir that Spencer has filed charges, and that the police is conducting a preliminary investigation. The Police has not publicly confirmed any other aspect of Spencer's story.
Held a speech to warn of the effects of Islam on Iceland
Spencer held a talk at a Reykjavík hotel on Thursday, where he warned Icelanders of the dangers of the impact of Islam on Icelandic society. The talk was organized by a local group which describes itself as fighting for European Culture. 948 Muslims live in Iceland, just 0.28% of the population.
The event had come under heavy criticism from Icelandic human rights groups which argue Spencer is guilty of spreading hate and prejudice.
A group 50 people had gathered in front of the hotel to protest the meeting. Several hundred people attended Spencer's talk. The two groups had a tense face-off.
Read more: Tense confrontation between protesters, attendees at lecture by US Anti-Muslim crusader
A journalist covering the event told the local newspaper Stundin that the protesters had been threatened by an attendee who identified himself as a security guard from the event organizers. When Hotel security was alerted to the threatening behavior of the man he was shown out of the hotel.
Claims he was poisoned at a Reykjavík restaurant
According to a post on Spencer's website he went to a local restaurant after the event to celebrate the success of the evening:
At this crowded Reykjavik establishment, I was quickly recognized. A young Icelander called me by name, shook my hand, and said he was a big fan. Shortly after that, another citizen of that famously genteel and courteous land also called me by name, shook my hand, and said “F**k you.”
We took that marvelous Icelandic greeting as a cue to leave. But the damage had already been done. About fifteen minutes later, when I got back in my hotel room, I began to feel numbness in my face, hands, and feet. I began trembling and vomiting. My heart was racing dangerously. I spent the night in a Reykjavik hospital.
Spencer says that one of the two men had put something in his drink. He also says he went to the police, which acquired surveillance tapes from the restaurant and were able to identify the two men.
Spencer lays the blame for the alleged attack with the media:
I should have seen it coming. After all, my visit had triggered a firestorm of abuse in the Icelandic press, all based on American Leftist talking points. Every story about my visit had the same elements: the notice that the SPLC claims that I purvey “hate speech,” which is a subjective judgment used to shut down dissent from the establishment line…
He goes on to complain that his lecture was not covered by local media in the manner he feels it should have. Spencer was interviewed by the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service and all news outlets in Iceland covered the event and the criticism which it received.
