Civil disobedience
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Henry David Thoreau
American Henry Thoreau wrote in his essay “Civil Disobedience” (1849) that it was a citizen’s duty to show civil disobedience if a state goes against his conscience. The essay was very influential all over the world.
Elsa Laula Renberg (1877-1931)
Elsa Laula Renberg (1877–1931) founded the world’s first sámi
association in 1904. In 1917 she arranged the first national sámi
congress in Norway. She also fought for Sámi womens position in society.
Merethe Kuhmunen by Carl-Johan Utsi
Merethe Kuhmunen from ”Ïhkkátis dávvierh”, a Sámi pop-up-exhibit at the National Museum of Decorative Arts and Design. Photo by Carl-Johan Utsi.
Art project Pile OSápmi, 2017
The artist Máret Ánne Sara is the sister of Jovsset. She has received international acclaim for her art project “Pile O’Sápmi”, made in support for her brother’s case, and with the goal being a critical debate on Sámi rights. In December 2017 she put up an installation of 400 reindeer skulls with shot holes in front of the Parliament. The work was later bought by the National Museum. Photo by Per Heimly.
Meeting in Methodist church, 1917
Most of the early meeting took place in the Methodist church in Trondheim. At the back to the right is Ellen Lie, Elsa Laula Renberg and pastor Trygve Wahlström. Photo: Schrøderarkivet / Sverresborg
The Parliment building, Karasjok
The Sámi Parliament opened in 1989 and is an elected government body for the strengthening of the Sámi’s position and interests in Norway.
Sámi Parlement
The Parliament works to ensure equality and equal treatment of the Sámi people and to secure the Sámi language, culture and way of life.
Samtinget, Tråante, 2017
The same year as Tråante was celebrated, the Sámi lost in the Fosen trial on the development of a wind turbine park in Storheia, a facility that disrupts the reindeer herding.
Sámi alterpiece
by Folke Fjällstrøm, Nidarosdomen
Choir, Tråante, 2017
Sámi children have the right to be educated in their own
language and culture, and all children in Norway must learn about Sámi culture and rights. But this can not be done if there are not enough textbooks or teachers.
Outside the Methodist church, Tråante
Through all of 2017 Trondheim celebrated a large-scale 100-year jubilee in honour of the first Sámi Congress. Photo: Sametinget
Trånte, 2017
Despite the regulations and speeches, the Sámi culture is still under threat. From the celebration of Tråante in 2017. Photo: Sametinget
Sit-in demonstration
Activists inside the government building. Photo by Niillas Aslaksen Somby.
To the Prime Minister's office
On the morning of February 6th, 1981, 15 Sámi women met with Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland in her office. The PM left the meeting after half an hour. The women
remained seated until they were removed by the police the next day, 18 hours later.
Aktivist Masih Alinejad
Lose hair as civil disobedience. Iranian Masih Alinejad (b. 1976) fights for the freedom to make the choice to use or not use a hijab. In 2014 she launched the Facebook page My Stealthy Freedom, where Iranian women post pictures of themselves without the hijab. Photo: masihalinejadmedia.com
MyStealthyFreedom hashtag
In Iran a woman can be punished for choosing to not cover her hair in public. Protest on social media. #MyStealthyFreedom and #WhiteWednesdays campaign.
Extra tax in Surnadal
Civil Disobedience in Surnadal In 1763 the King issued a very unpopular extra tax. Every person over 12 was to pay 1 riksdaler, the poor the same as the rich. Many people protested, the most successful in Surnadal in Nordmøre. That year everyone in the parish refused to pay the tax. The tax collectors therefore went from farm to farm, collecting valuables. An auction was held, but no one turned up to bid. The extra tax was removed.
Rose Parks
A buss ride as civil disobedience. In 1955 American Rosa Parks (1913-2005) refused to give her place on a bus to a white passenger. The year after the Supreme Court decided the rule was unconstitutional. Photo: Pål Ødegaard
Rosa Parks Gets Fingerprinted
Mrs Rosa Parks, a black seamstress, being fingerprinted after her refusal to move to the back of a bus to accommodate a white passenger touched off the bus boycott, Montgomery, Alabama, 1956. (Photo by Underwood Archives/Getty Images)
The salt march
Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) organised passive resistence against British rule in India. He was imprisoned multiple times, many years in total. Gandhi was a strong inspiration for non-violent movements the world over.
Suffragette Charlotte Despard
Through the centuries there have been many demonstrations for the right to vote.
Student group The White Rose
The student group The White Rose from Munich wrote pamphlets criticising Nazism. In 1943 three central members of the group were sentenced to death and executed.
Svartlamon painted
Art as civil disobedience: Håkon Bleken and Håkon Gullvåg painted on one of the buildings in danger of being demolished in Svartlamon in Trondheim. In 1998 the area was protected.
Shrouded by Natur og ungdom
To cover a facade can be an act of civil disobedience. The party headquarters of Ventres was clad by Nature and Youth group. Photo: Nature and Youth
Protesting mining, Kvalsund
The Nature and Youth organization protesting planned mining operation in Kvalsund. Civil disobedience might become necessary to stop the mining operation. Photo: Tonje Sofie Eriksson / Natur og Ungdom.
Nudist protest, San Francisco
From 2012 it became illegal to be naked outside in San Francisco. Since then an annual naked parade has been held to lift the ban.
Activist Julia Butterfly Hill
The American environmental activist Julia Butterfly Hill (b. 1974) lived for 738 days in a 55-meter-tall and 1500 year old Redwood tree. She did this to prevent it from being logged.
London-news
In many places it is illegal to criticise the government. Those who produced illegal newspapers in Norway during WWII risked the death penalty.
Nelson Mandela's cell
Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) spent more than 27 years in prison for his resistance against the apartheid regime in South-Africa.
Umbrella Movement, Hong Kong
The Umbrella Movement protested for democracy in Hong Kong in 2014. The activists used umbrellas to protect themselves against the police’s pepper spray and tear gas. In April 2019 nine of the leaders were given prison sentences.
Occupation, Svartamon, 1995
House occupation as civil disobedience. Concert with Motorpsycho, Svarlamon in 1995. To prevent this unique area of Trondheim from being demolised, people occupied the houses in the 90s. After a series of demonstrations the area was protected. Photo: Aage Asphaug
Drive-slow-protest
Over the past year Norwegian activists have carried out several “driveslowly” protests to mark their opposition to road tolls.
Martin Luther King jr.
The American priest Martin Luther King jr. (1929-1968) led several nonviolent protests against racial discrimination. In 1964 he received the Nobel Peace Prize. Four years later he was assassinated in Memphis. The place is a museum today.
Abortion protests, Seoul, 2019
In the spring of 2019 South-Korea is about to reform its strict abortion law. Photos from the many demonstrations for and against the reform, Seoul, 11. April, 2019.
Warning about red caps
During WWII you risked arrest if you wore a red cap or a paper clip on your jacket. They were seen as symbols of protest against the regime.
The Arab Spring
The Arab spring in 2010-2011 challenged authoritarian regimes in North-Africa and the Middle East, demanding
democratic rights
Faroese Nólsoyar Páll
Faroese Nólsoyar Páll (1766-1808/09) defied the Danish trade monopoly by building ships and trading. He disappeared at sea after an attempt to transport grain to the starving people on the Faroe Islands during the English Wars (Napoleonic Wars).
Poster removal, WWII
During WWII in Norway it was illegal to tear down the fascist party’s propaganda posters.
Sylvi Listhaug painting
Is this civil disobedience or vandalism? The street artist AFK painted Lylvi Listhaug being crucified, calling it "Making a martyr"
Vigdis Rojahn julekort
Drawing as civil disobedience: During the war the Norwegian illustrator Vigdis Rojahn was taken in for questioning after drawing this Christmas card. The card was banned.
Online resource: Civil disobedience
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Civil disobedience
