The video you see above has been uploaded to the Instagram account “Rottebyen”.
Recently, an anonymous figure has shared a number of videos and photos in which he sabotages the rat traps that the municipality has set out to kill the city’s rats.
TV 2 has met the man, who wishes to remain anonymous.
– It is an art project, a kind of “performance”. The idea is just to give the rats a voice, he says.
SECRET MEETING: The man with the Instagram account “Rottebyen” agrees to meet with TV 2 in return for his anonymity and for us to only take pictures of his shoes. Photo: Ole Enes Ebbesen / TV 2
– I look at rats like any other animal. Living individuals with feelings and personal relationships. The rats, like humans, have the ability to think abstractly, he points out.
In the video you see at the top of this case, the man sets out disarmed rat traps on Bergen’s tram, Bybanen.
He has stolen the traps himself from the municipality, he says.
The man hopes that what he himself refers to as an art project will create debate.
– I want this to be something we should be able to discuss and not just blindly accept.
It is a rather fierce decision to make on behalf of another species, he says.
The case was first discussed in the newspaper Bergens Tidende.
– Sabotage
Trude Jordal is head of Outdoor Operations in the Urban Environment Agency in Bergen municipality. She has no sense of the stunt.
– This is vandalism. Sabotage of a measure that we see as necessary, she says to TV 2.
The municipality does not know who is behind it, but has reported the matter to the police.
RATS INCREASE: – There have been a lot of visible rats compared to before. And we know nothing about what is under the ground, says Trude Jordal. Photo: Ole Enes Ebbesen / TV 2
She says that there are so many rats now that measures are absolutely necessary to reduce the rat population.
– We are not looking to eradicate the rats, they also have the right to life. But we have to get the population down to a healthy level.
RAT GRAVE: The man has also dug up small graves in the Byparken. Photo: Geir Johnny Huneide / TV 2
– Art? It’s bullshit!
Most of the people we meet at the municipality’s rat traps are negative about the sabotage.
– Work of art my ass!, says Oda Fagnastøl. No, now you have to stop fooling around! This is just a clever idea he’s got, that he’s going to save all the rats.
BULLSHIT: Oda thinks it is completely unheard of to sabotage the traps. Photo: Ole Enes Ebbesen / TV 2
Several agree with her. They have no sympathy with either the rats or the man behind the project.
CLEAR SPEECH: Berit Thømming has no doubts: – I think we should kill the rats! Photo: Ole Enes Ebbesen / TV 2
FANATICISM: Magne Sandøy believes the rat trap herping borders on fanaticism. Photo: Ole Enes Ebbesen / TV 2
PESTS: – We have to get the rats away!, replies a laughing Berit Moldesæter. She has no understanding that someone would destroy the traps. Photo: Ole Enes Ebbesen / TV 2
The anonymous artist does not let the criticism get to him.
– I know that there are many who think they are disgusting. But I think there are a lot of prejudices that people can happily work on themselves. We cannot remove a species just because we personally find them a bit unpleasant, he says.
– I feel there is a general attitude in my age group and younger that we must change the way we relate to the world, says the artist in his 30s.
And he gets, if not support, then at least understanding from some of the younger Bergens TV 2 talks to.
Kornelia Maurstad and Pernille Samdal are both 15 years old.
– He is somewhat right, we have to take care of the animals. But when they cause damage to society, maybe it’s time to reduce the number a bit, they say.
SLIGHTLY AGREE: Kornelia and Pernille understand that someone wants to look after the rats, but think that there are too many of them. Photo: Ole Enes Ebbesen / TV 2
Snort of review
The man behind the Instagram user “Rottebyen” takes the police report with crushing calm.
– I care very little about that, I am not affected by it. I think that what they are doing is, to a certain extent, “ecocide” and murder.
“Ecocide” is the term for “destruction of the environment with poison or pollution”.
HIDDEN TRAPS: Bergen municipality puts brown boxes over the rat traps to protect birds and other animals. Photo: Ole Enes Ebbesen / TV 2
Trude Jordal points out that the municipality does not set out poison traps.
– We do this in the most humane way for the rats. We put out non-toxic food, a caramel so to speak, which lures the rats to the flap traps, she clarifies.
TAGGING: As part of the project, “Rottebyen” has also tagged both “Rats must live” and “Rats must die” at Bergen City Station. Both times it has been removed by Bergen municipality. Photo: Ole Enes Ebbesen / TV 2
Drastic methods
The man in his 30s does not agree that the municipality’s methods are humane.
– The rat traps do not necessarily kill the rat. And if they do, it’s in a grotesque way.
– But can you understand that people think that what you do is absolutely horrible?
– Yes, I can understand that, but I think that I am only putting forward an alternative point of view, so at least a discussion can be started.
– Do you have more stunts going on?
– I have some plans, but the message may be clear enough now. Time will tell, says the man.
