Anti-Jewish riots perpetrated mainly by Muslim youth in Norway during the Gaza War
Antisemitic riots in Oslo following Israel's Operation Cast Lead marked a significant outbreak of ethnically targeted violence in Norway.
Key Facts
- Riot start date
- 29 December 2008
- Most violent dates
- 8 and 10 January 2009
- Arrests made
- Around 200 people
- Primary suspects
- Mostly Muslims, many registered asylum seekers
- Duration
- Almost two weeks
- Initial riot location
- Outside the Embassy of Israel, Oslo
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Two days after Israel launched Operation Cast Lead against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip on 27 December 2008, pro-Palestinian protests in Oslo escalated into violence. Demonstrators gathered outside the Israeli Embassy, and tensions rapidly intensified over the following days.
A large-scale series of riots broke out across Oslo between 29 December 2008 and 10 January 2009. Hundreds or thousands of demonstrators attacked public and private property, including government buildings, McDonald's, and the Oslo Freemasonry Lodge. Rioters primarily targeted Jews and people suspected of being Jewish, as well as LGBT individuals and pro-Israel activists, supported by left-wing Blitz activists.
Oslo Police arrested approximately 200 people, mostly Muslims, a significant number of whom were registered asylum seekers. The riots prompted widespread concern in Norway about antisemitic violence and the safety of Jewish residents, and drew national and international attention to the intersection of the Gaza conflict and domestic ethnic tensions.