The incident occurred in connection with a panel debate last Saturday, in which the political scientist and author Barakat Ghebrehawariat, among others, participated. The conversation was on the topic of cultural debates and when the audience was invited to ask questions of the panelists, the n-word was used repeatedly by – initially – a man in the audience.
– I asked him in all good sense not to say the word. But he insisted on doing it. Then another person continued, says Barakat Ghebrehawariat.
– The moderator showed no signs of stepping in, so I simply had to speak up because the Kulturhuset didn’t do it.
“It got crazy”
Barakat Ghebrehawariat describes the atmosphere as threatening in connection with the question period. He therefore chose to leave the stage.
– It became fierce, and some in the audience acted in a way that I perceived as aggressive. Repeated use of the n-word was the final straw.
Apologized
Linda Beijer, head of culture at Kulturhuset stadsteatern, states that staff on site apologized to Barakat Ghebrehawariat after the debate.
– We as organizers should of course have highlighted, what happened is not okay at all. We would have asked them to use other words, and if that had not worked we would have had to cancel the arrangement, she says.
– We hold these talks so that people can have their say, that we should be a stage for open and free speech. The other side of our job is that people in the room should feel safe. It’s a balancing act.