Stop Islamisation of Norway
Stop Islamisation of Norway (SIAN) is a Norwegian anti-Islam political activist organization known for opposition to Muslim immigration and public Quran-burning demonstrations.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Stop Islamisation of Norway, commonly known by the Norwegian acronym SIAN, is a Norwegian anti-Islam activist organization. It describes Islam as a totalitarian political ideology that conflicts with the Norwegian Constitution and with democratic and humanist values. Critics, journalists, human-rights advocates, and anti-racism organizations have characterized the group as far-right, anti-Muslim, racist, or hateful because of its rhetoric about Islam and Muslims. The organization rejects those descriptions and presents itself as a movement defending freedom of expression, national sovereignty, and opposition to what it calls the Islamisation of Norway. The group originated in Oslo in early 2000 as the Action Committee Against Prayer Calling. Its initial focus was opposition to a request by the Islamic Cultural Centre for permission to broadcast the Muslim call to prayer through mosque loudspeakers. In March 2000, the committee organized a demonstration in Oslo attended by approximately 150 people. On 11 September 2000 it changed its name to Forum Against Islamisation, or FOMI. This made it one of the earliest organized European groups explicitly focused on opposition to Islam, predating the September 11 attacks. Early figures associated with the organization included Anne-Liv Gamlem, Jarle Synnevåg, and Erik Gjems-Onstad. Synnevåg, a researcher formerly connected with the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment, was an early leader and later faced a conviction related to racist statements. Gjems-Onstad served as an internal meeting leader during much of the 2000s. The organization became increasingly influenced by the so-called Eurabia theory and by counter-jihad writers, including the Norwegian blogger known as Fjordman. Arne Tumyr became the group's leader in 2007. In 2008, amid the creation of national organizations connected to the wider Stop Islamisation of Europe network, FOMI adopted its current name, Stop Islamisation of Norway. SIAN joined SIOE in 2008 but left the network in 2012 after an internal dispute concerning cooperation with the Norwegian Defence League. The split produced a separate SIOE Norway initiative associated with Merete Hodne and Kjersti Margrethe Adelheid Gilje. During the late 2000s and early 2010s, SIAN increased its public demonstrations and media presence. Its events often attracted substantially larger counter-demonstrations, including participants linked to Blitz, SOS Rasisme, the Red Party, and other anti-racist groups. Police protection was repeatedly required, and some events involved clashes or attempts to disrupt speeches. The organization also drew support or participation from figures associated with small Norwegian political parties, including the Democrats and the Progress Party, although mainstream party leaders later emphasized that SIAN membership was incompatible with party membership. The organization reported thousands of members, while contemporary reporting also referred to a much larger number of Facebook followers or likes. These figures were not equivalent measures of formal membership. Its support was concentrated primarily in Oslo, with activity also reported in Stavanger and other Norwegian cities. Lars Thorsen became the public leader of SIAN in 2019. Under his leadership, the organization became particularly associated with public Quran desecration and Quran-burning events, including demonstrations near mosques. These actions generated domestic controversy, police interventions, counter-protests, criminal cases, and condemnation from Muslim organizations and anti-racist groups. SIAN has defended the events as protected political expression. The demonstrations have also produced violent confrontations: Thorsen was assaulted at a 2020 rally in Bergen, and a vehicle carrying SIAN activists was deliberately struck after a 2022 Quran-burning event. SIAN remains a small but highly visible Norwegian protest organization rather than a conventional commercial brand. It does not appear to operate a product portfolio or a conventional consumer business. Its public identity is built around demonstrations, speeches, online communications, political advocacy, and confrontational free-expression actions. Leadership information in available reference material is inconsistent, with some descriptions continuing to identify Arne Tumyr as leader while later accounts identify Lars Thorsen. The organization’s current formal leadership should therefore be verified against its official records.
History
Stop Islamisation of Norway developed from a local dispute about the public broadcasting of the Muslim call to prayer. The Action Committee Against Prayer Calling was formed in Oslo in early 2000 after the Islamic Cultural Centre sought permission to use loudspeakers for the adhan. The committee organized a demonstration in March attended by roughly 150 people. On 11 September 2000 it adopted the name Forum Against Islamisation, making it an early European organization explicitly dedicated to anti-Islam activism. Jarle Synnevåg was an early founder and leader, while Anne-Liv Gamlem was associated with the predecessor committee and Erik Gjems-Onstad played an internal organizational role from 2001 to 2009. The group opposed mosque prayer broadcasts and broader Muslim immigration and integration policies. A parliamentary proposal to restrict loudspeaker prayer calls was introduced by Carl I. Hagen and the Progress Party but did not receive support from the other parties. During the 2000s, FOMI's rhetoric became connected to the wider counter-jihad milieu. The organization was influenced by the Eurabia conspiracy theory and by writings associated with Fjordman. In 2007 Arne Tumyr became leader. In 2008, as national organizations linked to Stop Islamisation of Europe appeared in several countries, the Norwegian group adopted the name Stop Islamisation of Norway. SIAN's street activity expanded during the late 2000s and early 2010s. It organized rallies in Oslo, Bergen, and elsewhere, sometimes with participation from politicians or activists from small parties. The events frequently attracted larger counter-demonstrations by anti-racist and left-wing groups. Police protection was required at some rallies, and several events involved clashes or attempted disruptions. Speakers and associates included figures such as Øyvind Heian, Vidar Kleppe, Anders Gravers Pedersen, Walid al-Kubaisi, Lars Hedegaard, and Mona Walter. Their appearances did not necessarily indicate formal membership or organizational control. The organization reported around 3,000 members in one period, while reporting also cited nearly 13,000 Facebook followers or likes. The discrepancy reflected the difference between claimed membership and social-media reach. Oslo was the principal center of activity, with Stavanger also identified as an important base. In 2012, SIAN broke with Stop Islamisation of Europe after Tumyr declined cooperation with the newly formed Norwegian Defence League. Merete Hodne and Kjersti Margrethe Adelheid Gilje subsequently established SIOE Norway, and had also been involved in a local SIAN radio project in Sandnes. Stig Andersen led SIAN from 2014. In 2017 the organization maintained a booth at Arendal Week but was asked to leave after confrontations and accusations of racist conduct. From 2019, Progress Party leader Siv Jensen stated that SIAN membership was incompatible with membership in her party and initiated expulsions of members. Lars Thorsen became leader in 2019. The organization then became especially associated with burning or desecrating copies of the Quran at public rallies and outside mosques. Shortly before its first such burning, Thorsen received a suspended 30-day sentence and a fine of NOK 20,000 in a hate-speech case involving group flyers. In 2020 he was assaulted at a Bergen rally after referring to Muhammad in insulting terms. Later that year he appeared on a prime-time debate program on NRK and named Muslims whom he said he wanted deported. The group's demonstrations continued to generate confrontations. Following a Quran-burning event in July 2022, a vehicle carrying Thorsen and four other SIAN activists was intentionally struck and overturned; an arrest followed. In October 2022, Thorsen was sentenced to three weeks in prison for spraying a red defensive spray at three men during separate rallies. Public commentary on SIAN has been sharply divided. Critics have described its language as discriminatory, vulgar, and hostile to Muslims, while some participants and sympathetic commentators have framed concern about Islamism as a legitimate political issue. The organization's history is therefore primarily one of protest politics and controversy rather than commercial brand development. Available references also contain conflicting descriptions of its leadership, so its current officeholders require verification.
- 2019
Quran-burning activism becomes central
[1]Under Lars Thorsen's leadership, Quran-burning and Quran-desecration demonstrations became the group's defining public activity.
- 2012
Break with SIOE
[1]SIAN left the Stop Islamisation of Europe network after a dispute over cooperation with the Norwegian Defence League.
- 2008
Current name adopted
[1]Forum Against Islamisation became Stop Islamisation of Norway amid the growth of related European groups.
- 2007
Arne Tumyr becomes leader
[1]Arne Tumyr assumed leadership during the organization's transition toward a national anti-Islam activist profile.
- 2000
Predecessor organization established
[1]The Action Committee Against Prayer Calling was formed in Oslo to oppose a mosque request to broadcast the adhan through loudspeakers.
- 2000
Forum Against Islamisation name adopted
[1]The predecessor group changed its name to Forum Against Islamisation on 11 September.
Products and positioning
A Norwegian anti-Islam activist organization positioned around opposition to Islam, Muslim immigration, and what it calls the Islamisation of Norway. Its public activism emphasizes nationalist politics, freedom of expression, and provocative demonstrations, especially Quran-burning events.
Controversies
2022
Vehicle attack after Quran-burning event
A vehicle carrying five SIAN activists was intentionally struck and overturned following a Quran-burning event. An arrest was made.
2022
Sentence for spraying defensive substance
Thorsen was sentenced to three weeks in prison after spraying a red defensive substance into the faces of three men during separate SIAN rallies.
2020
Violence at Bergen rally
Lars Thorsen was beaten unconscious at a SIAN rally in Bergen after making an insulting statement about Muhammad.
2019
Hate-speech conviction connected to SIAN flyers
Shortly before the group's first reported Quran-burning event, Lars Thorsen was given a suspended 30-day sentence and fined NOK 20,000 over hate speech in flyers distributed by the organization.
Marketing campaigns
- 2019Quran-burning rallies
Norway
SIAN began repeatedly burning or desecrating copies of the Quran at rallies and near mosques as a form of anti-Islam political protest.
Outcome. The actions made the group nationally prominent and led to intense public criticism, counter-protests, police operations, assaults, and criminal proceedings.
- 2008National anti-Islam demonstration program
Norway
After adopting the SIAN name, the organization expanded public rallies and media activity in several Norwegian cities.
Outcome. The events increased SIAN's visibility but regularly prompted larger counter-demonstrations and police protection.
- 2000Campaign against mosque prayer-call loudspeakers
Norway
The predecessor organization opposed a request by the Islamic Cultural Centre to broadcast the adhan through loudspeakers at an Oslo mosque and organized demonstrations against the proposal.
Outcome. A parliamentary proposal to ban loudspeaker prayer calls was rejected by the other parties.
Brand decisions
2012
Withdrawal from the SIOE networkStrategyBackground
A dispute developed over whether SIAN should cooperate with the Norwegian Defence League.
Action taken
SIAN left Stop Islamisation of Europe rather than pursue the proposed cooperation.
Aftermath
Former members established a separate SIOE Norway initiative.
2008
Adoption of the SIAN nameStrategyBackground
Related national groups were forming within the Stop Islamisation of Europe network.
Action taken
FOMI changed its name to Stop Islamisation of Norway.
Aftermath
The organization gained greater media and street visibility as a national anti-Islam group.
2000
Shift from local prayer-call protest to explicit anti-Islam activismStrategyBackground
The predecessor group began with a local dispute over mosque loudspeakers but broadened its agenda.
Action taken
It adopted the name Forum Against Islamisation and presented opposition to Islam as its central political objective.
Aftermath
The change established the organizational identity that later became SIAN.
Recent events
- 2022
Vehicle carrying SIAN activists deliberately struck[1]
Other
After a Quran-burning event, a vehicle carrying five SIAN activists was deliberately hit and overturned. A woman was arrested in connection with the incident.
- 2022
Thorsen sentenced after defense-spray incidents[1]
Lawsuit
Lars Thorsen received a three-week jail sentence for spraying a red defensive substance into the faces of three men at separate SIAN rallies.
- 2020
Thorsen assaulted at Bergen rally[1]
Other
Lars Thorsen was attacked and beaten unconscious during a SIAN rally in Bergen after making inflammatory remarks about Muhammad.
- 2019
Lars Thorsen becomes leader[1]
Leadership change · Other
Lars Thorsen took a leading role as the organization shifted toward repeated Quran-burning and Quran-desecration demonstrations.
- 2012
SIAN leaves Stop Islamisation of Europe network[1]
Other
The organization separated from SIOE after a dispute over cooperation with the Norwegian Defence League, followed by the creation of a separate SIOE Norway group.
- 2008
SIAN adopts its current name[1]
Other
Forum Against Islamisation was renamed Stop Islamisation of Norway as national groups connected to the wider Stop Islamisation of Europe network emerged.
Sources2 sources
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