Folkehøjskolernes Forening said on August 24 that Isam B’s song “Ramadan i København” will remain in Højskolesangbogen, despite political demands that it be removed after his comments about the niqab.
The association and the committee behind the 19th edition of the songbook issued a written statement rejecting calls for the song’s removal, DR reports. Isam B, also known as Isam Bachiri from the band Outlandish, is one of several contributors behind the song.
According to the statement, songs in the latest edition were selected on the basis of content and quality. The artists were not screened for potentially controversial statements, or for statements that might conflict with the values of the folk high school movement.
The association also warned against rejecting art because of an artist’s life or opinions. As an example, it pointed to Harald Bergstedt’s songs “Jeg ved en lærkerede” and “Solen er så rød, mor,” which remain in the book despite what the association describes as his openly Nazi views.
Chair Lisbeth Trinskjær said disagreement with an artist is not enough reason to edit Højskolesangbogen after publication. She noted that Denmark has freedom of expression, and that Isam B is therefore free to speak as he does. She added that his remarks are far from the understanding of freedom and equality the association stands for.
Several politicians have criticized the musician in sharp terms. Social Democratic integration and immigration spokesperson Thomas Skriver Jensen said his contribution to the songbook should be removed, while Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the statements an insult to those fighting an unreasonable daily struggle. Danmarksdemokraterne’s political spokesperson, Susie Jessen, called Isam B a woman hater.
TV 2 reported on August 19 that politicians attacked Isam B over the niqab remarks, linking the criticism to the demand that his song be dropped. Berlingske reports that the backlash began with his comments in the podcast Platform, where he described the niqab as one of the most feminist things women can do.
Speaking on P1 Morgen, Isam B said he sees himself as adding nuance to the debate, and that there is also freedom in choosing to cover oneself. He said social control and oppression are wrong and must be fought.
The song entered the songbook in the 19th edition in 2019, according to the Højskolesangbogen website, which says the text gives non-Muslim Danes insight into a world many find foreign. Jyllands-Posten dates the inclusion to 2020.
Folkehøjskolernes Forening said a new committee will decide which songs are included when the 20th edition is published. Wearing a niqab or burka in public has been banned in Denmark since 2018, punishable by a fine.
