Danish nationalists hit back at “ashamed” Icelanders

Daniel Carlsen.

Daniel Carlsen. Photo: Screenshot Facebook

Leader of the Danish far-right nationalist Party of the Danes Daniel Carsen has dropped a video on social media accusing Iceland of being ashamed of the fact that their national football team is “Icelandic”.

The party sparked controversy last week by posting an image showing Iceland captain Aron Einar Gunnarsson with the Iceland team alongside a picture of several black members of the French team.

“Share if you think ‘France’ should be playing in the African Nations Cup” reads the provocative caption.

MORE: Iceland FA slams far-right racist Euro 2016 image

The Football Association of Iceland (KSÍ) immediately issued a statement condemning the image as political hate propaganda, and demanded it be taken down. Gunnarsson has also expressed his dismay at the image.

In the video (in Danish, below), Carlsen says that his party is simply praising Iceland for fielding a team that is truly “Icelandic” and says that the reaction to the image is “unbelievable”.

“I feel sorry for you Icelanders,” he states. “I feel sorry that you have a Football Association that is quite simply ashamed of being Icelandic. But do you know what? We in the Party of the Danes praise you for being Icelandic. We praise you for having a country of real Icelanders and see you as an example to follow.”

Carlsen, sporting a T-shirt with an Icelandic flag and the slogan ‘White Viking Football’, says it is important that Iceland was one of the only countries in Euro 2016 to field a “truly European” team.

Part of the controversial image.

Part of the controversial image. Photo: Screenshot Facebook

He further demands an apology from KSÍ – to the Icelandic people.

“You have accused us of hatred. You have slung mud at being Icelandic,” he claims. “If you start by apologising to your own people for turning against them, we are willing to talk about removing the image.”

The image suggests that black players do not belong in European football championships. According to the party, being born and raised in France and having French nationality is not sufficient to make you French – you must also be “of Western origin”.

The Party of the Danes was founded by Carlsen in 2011 as a split-from from the neo-Nazi DNSB party. He has previously denied historical accounts of the Holocaust, dismissing them as US and communist propaganda.

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