Progress Party expels member after racist remarks about Pakistanis

The Norwegian Progress Party (FrP) has terminated the membership of Hårek Hansen and his role as an adviser to MP Simen Velle after he referred to Pakistanis as “minus variants” in a recorded conversation, the party announced on its website Thursday.

“Following Hårek Hansen’s unacceptable statements, we have been in dialogue with him since we became aware of the incident,” the party stated. “FrP has zero tolerance for such remarks, and we have agreed that Hansen’s employment and party membership will cease with immediate effect.”

The comments were made during a conversation with two TV 2 journalists at a bar in Oslo ahead of the party’s national convention last weekend. TV 2 published hidden audio recordings of the exchange on Saturday.

In an email to TV 2 after the recordings were made public, Hansen claimed the remarks were “intended as humour and childish provocation” and influenced by alcohol. “It’s vulgar and stupid drunken talk, which I strongly distance myself from and sincerely apologise for,” he wrote.

Dagbladet reported that neither Velle nor Hansen provided further comment when contacted. Hansen declined to speak, stating only, “No, thank you.”

The incident follows a police report filed against Hansen over the remarks.