The Metropolitan Police Hate-Crime unit has issued a formal charge against one the most popular Talk-Radio hosts in Iceland for hate speech against the LGBTQ community, the local news site visir.is reports. The charges were originally brought by Samtökin 78, the umbrella organization of the Icelandic queer community.
In April 2015 the school authorities in Hafnafjörður, a suburb in the Capital region, decided to add queer studies to the curriculum in elementary schools in the municipality. The decision caused an uproar among some listeners of the talk-radio station Útvarp Saga, who called in to the station to express their outrage and dismay. Samtökin 78 argued that some of the on-air discussions by Pétur with the stations callers-in constituted hate-speech, as defined by Icelandic law. Having investigated the matter, Eyrún Eyþórsdóttir, who heads the hate-crime division of the Metropolitan Police, decided to issue formal charges against Pétur.
Pétur, who is also a lawyer told his listeners the charges were outrageous: I'm furious, I'll admit that right here! I can't be held accountable for things callers-in say! he said on-air yesterday. Callers-in were similarly angered by the charges.
Arnþrúður Karlsdóttir, the manager of the station and another of its most popular hosts, added that the state, and other unnamed forces, seemed to be engaged in a Crusade against the station. The only government agency which hasn't yet attacked us is the Meteorological Office.
Read more: Icelandic musicians boycotting a local talk radio station for promoting prejudice
Útvarp Saga has previously been in hot water for promoting prejudice. In September 2015 one of Iceland‘s most beloved rock stars, Bubbi Morthens, announced he had banned the talk station from playing any of his music. Bubbi, a former punk rocker with a similar working class appeal as Bruce Springsteen in the US, made the decision after the station had posted a poll on its website asking listeners whether they trusted Muslims. The poll, and various on-air comments by the station's hosts encouraged prejudice, homophobia and xenophobia directed against immigrants and foreigners, Bubbi argued.
The Metropolitan Police Hate-Crime unit has issued a formal charge against one the most popular Talk-Radio hosts in Iceland for hate speech against the LGBTQ community, the local news site visir.is reports. The charges were originally brought by Samtökin 78, the umbrella organization of the Icelandic queer community.
In April 2015 the school authorities in Hafnafjörður, a suburb in the Capital region, decided to add queer studies to the curriculum in elementary schools in the municipality. The decision caused an uproar among some listeners of the talk-radio station Útvarp Saga, who called in to the station to express their outrage and dismay. Samtökin 78 argued that some of the on-air discussions by Pétur with the stations callers-in constituted hate-speech, as defined by Icelandic law. Having investigated the matter, Eyrún Eyþórsdóttir, who heads the hate-crime division of the Metropolitan Police, decided to issue formal charges against Pétur.
Pétur, who is also a lawyer told his listeners the charges were outrageous: I'm furious, I'll admit that right here! I can't be held accountable for things callers-in say! he said on-air yesterday. Callers-in were similarly angered by the charges.
Arnþrúður Karlsdóttir, the manager of the station and another of its most popular hosts, added that the state, and other unnamed forces, seemed to be engaged in a Crusade against the station. The only government agency which hasn't yet attacked us is the Meteorological Office.
Read more: Icelandic musicians boycotting a local talk radio station for promoting prejudice
Útvarp Saga has previously been in hot water for promoting prejudice. In September 2015 one of Iceland‘s most beloved rock stars, Bubbi Morthens, announced he had banned the talk station from playing any of his music. Bubbi, a former punk rocker with a similar working class appeal as Bruce Springsteen in the US, made the decision after the station had posted a poll on its website asking listeners whether they trusted Muslims. The poll, and various on-air comments by the station's hosts encouraged prejudice, homophobia and xenophobia directed against immigrants and foreigners, Bubbi argued.
