Anders Gravers Pedersen Explained

Anders Gravers Pedersen (born 13 May 1960) is a Danish anti-Islam activist.^{[1] [2]} He is the chairman and founder of Stop Islamisation of Denmark (SIAD), and leader of Stop Islamisation of Europe (SIOE).^{[3] [4]} He also established transatlantic connections with Stop Islamization of America (SIOA)^[5] and Stop Islamization of Nations (SION).^[6]

Activities

Demonstrations

Gravers Pedersen has been instrumental in forming the street-based activist parts of the counter-jihad movement since he founded Stop Islamisation of Denmark (SIAD) in 2005.^[7] He founded the organisation in response to seeing television images of Muslims burning the Danish flag as part of to the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy.^[8] He was formerly a member of the anti-immigration policy-focused Danish Association, but founded SIAD as he wanted more action.^[9] With SIAD, he helped organise the first international counter-jihad conference in Copenhagen in 2007 along with the Center for Vigilant Freedom (CVF).^{[9] [10]}

Gravers Pedersen founded Stop Islamisation of Europe (SIOE) following the 2007 conference together with English activist Stephen Gash.^{[8] [9]} In the capacity of leading SIOE, SIAD and Gravers Pedersen were each sentenced to pay fines of 10,000 kr in 2008 for violating a court order against using Kurt Westergaard's Muhammad cartoon at a rally.^{[11] [12]}

In 2010, he helped form Stop Islamization of America (SIOA) with the bloggers Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer.^[8] The same year, Gravers Pedersen was assaulted at a rally in Aalborg.^[13] He participated in staging a rally and arranging a counter-jihad demonstration along with the English Defence League (EDL), including Tommy Robinson, and numerous other international activists in Aarhus in March 2012.^{[4] [14]} In August 2012, he participated in an international counter-jihad rally in Stockholm along with Robinson, the EDL, Geller, Spencer, and the newly founded Stop Islamization of Nations (SION) among others.^{[8] [15]}

Gravers Pedersen said in 2013, that due to his criticism of Islam, he has to live on a secret address, and that he has to have bodyguards when appearing in public.^[16]

Contesting elections

Gravers Pedersen contested the municipal election in Aalborg in 2005, in which SIAD received a total of 1,172 votes.^[14] In the 2007 Danish general election Pedersen stood in Jutland and gained 73 votes.^[17] He attempted to run for a seat in the Danish parliament in 2009^[18] and in 2012.^[19]

Notes and References

1. Book: Berntzen, Lars-Erik. Liberal Roots of Far Right Activism: The Anti-Islamic Movement in the 21st Century. 173. Routledge. 2019. 9781000707960.
2. Book: Sharify-Funk, Meena. Muslim Women in Contemporary North America: Controversies, Clichés, and Conversations. 94. Taylor & Francis. 2022. 9781000801446.
3. Book: Islamophobia as a Form of Radicalisation: Perspectives on Media, Academia and Socio-political Scapes from Europe and Canada. Leen. d’Haenens. Abdelwahed. Mekki-Berrada. 31. Leuven University Press. 2023. 9789462703698.
4. Web site: Line Prasz. Anti-muslimer: Vi slår ikke først. Danish. Anti-muslims: We won't strike first. Politiken. March 30, 2012. July 18, 2012.
5. Web site: Lea Christel. Jørgensen. Interview med Anders Gravers fra SIAD. Danish. Interview with Anders Gravers of SIAD. DR. https://web.archive.org/web/20110301093140/http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/risogros/2010/20100915121106.htm . 2011-03-01 . July 18, 2012.
6. News: Far-right anti-Muslim network on rise globally as Breivik trial opens. Mark. Townsend. The Guardian. 14 April 2012.
7. News: Daniel Poohl: Koranbrännarna bryr sig inte om yttrandefriheten. 6 September 2020. Expo. Swedish.
8. News: Dette er mannen som trekker i trådene i islamhatbevegelsen. Siv. Sandvik. NRK. 14 December 2012. no.
9. Book: Othen, Christopher. Soldiers of a Different God: How the Counter-Jihad Movement Created Mayhem, Murder and the Trump Presidency. 98-100. 2018. Amberley. 9781445678009.
10. Book: Lone Wolf and Autonomous Cell Terrorism. Jeffrey. Kaplan. Heléne. Lööw. Leena. Malkki. 213. Routledge. 2017. 9781317530428.
11. Web site: Stor straf for misbrug av Muhammed-tegning. Danish. Hard punishment for misuse of Muhammad cartoon. Danish Union of Journalists. December 17, 2010. July 19, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121029151237/http://journalistforbundet.dk/Nyheder/2010/December/Stor-straf-for-misbrug-af-Muhammed-tegning/. 2012-10-29. dead.
12. Web site: Dømt for at misbruge Muhammed-tegning.. Danish. Sentenced for misuse of Muhammad cartoon. Nordjyske. July 19, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20140811220145/http://nordjyske.dk/nyheder/doemt-for-at-misbruge-muhammed-tegning/ca6ed194-d839-4e01-a1f3-00360b49f4a4/4/1513. August 11, 2014. dead. mdy-all.
13. Web site: Anders Gravers Pedersen væltet omkuld under demonstration. Marie. Bergmann. TV2 Nord . 21 May 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110710104124/http://www.tv2nord.dk/artikel/121586%3AKrimi--Anders-Gravers-Pedersen-vaeltet-omkuld-under-demonstration . 2011-07-10. da.
14. Book: Hannus, Martha. Counterjihadrörelsen– en del av den antimuslimska miljön. 86. 2012. Expo Research. sv. https://web.archive.org/web/20221101144939/https://expo.se/file/2254/download?token=_JSo7wjG. 1 November 2022.
15. News: Breiviks meningsfeller i Stockholms gater . Trond. Lepperød. Nettavisen. 5 August 2012. no.
16. News: Forventer drabsforsøg. Tor. Løkken. TV 2 Nord. 6 February 2013. da.
17. News: Højrefløjs-løsgængere led nederlag. Elisabeth Arnsdorf . Haslund. Berlingske. 14 November 2007. da.
18. Web site: Tobias Stern Johansen. Islam-fjendsk forening vil i Folketinget. Danish. Anti-islamic organisation runs for Folketinget. Kristeligt Dagblad. February 21, 2009. July 19, 2012.
19. Web site: Løsgænger ikke inviteret med til vælgermøder. Danish. Partyless candidate not invited to voter rallies. Nordjyske. 14 May 2012. 19 July 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20140811175058/http://nordjyske.dk/nyheder/loesgaenger-ikke-inviteret-med-til-vaelgermoeder/c3a1c948-2285-482e-bce5-0b3fadc3c3fe/4/1513. 11 August 2014. dead.