The Right to Provoke

The artist Lars Vilks was brutally attacked at the University of Uppsala in Sweden when he gave a lecture on freedom of expression, which included showing some pictures of Mohammed. He was physically attacked by Muslims chanting Allahu akbar. (Allah is the greatest) What are we to make of this?

Freedom of expression is designed to protect views and expressions that can provoke and shock - that's a fundamental principle regarding freedom of speech and expression.

Furthermore, freedom of expression is the very foundation for other democratic rights and freedoms. Without it there is no political freedom, no religious freedom, no press freedom and no freedom of assembly. Thus it is extremely serious and totally unacceptable that anyone is physically attacked because of opinions or images.

It is necessary to protest against the Islamic assault against a Swedish citizen and the attack on our democracy. But will leading politicians do it? Will the Swedish Christian Council or the Swedish Muslim Council? What about editorial writers and other cultural workers – Lars Vilks’ colleagues? Don’t hold your breath. But if we don’t protest we give in to threats and thus freedom of speech is limited in praxis.

Freedom of speech also includes the right to question Lars Vilks and what he does. Sure, he has the legal right to do what he does and the state must uphold his right to freedom of expression. But in a civilized society and daily human interactions we would strive for good manners and to avoid intentionally causing anger. It feels a bit childish and immature to have as a primary goal to provoke and offend. But it is the smaller problem.

The attack on and threats against Vilks is just one of a growing number of examples of how some Muslims in Europe are threatening and harming democracy. That is the major problem.

Mats Tunehag
Sweden









( Vilks has been forced to live under police protection after having received several death threats, including a statement by the al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq which has offered up to $150,000 for his assassination)