Key Facts
Career & Education
About
Anders Gravers Pedersen (born May 13, 1960) is a Danish activist and founder of Stop Islamisation of Europe (SIOE) and Stop Islamisation of Denmark (SIAD), both established in 2005. He serves as leader of SIOE and chairman of SIAD, which operates as both an activist group and a minor political party in Denmark. Gravers is a prominent figure in far-right, anti-Islam, and anti-immigration movements across Europe and beyond, known for organizing protests, campaigns, and political advocacy against what he perceives as the Islamization of Danish and European society. His activism includes high-profile, controversial demonstrations, often in Muslim-majority areas or cities like London and Copenhagen, leading to counter-protests, media attention, and legal restrictions—such as bans on some demonstrations and his denial of entry to the United Kingdom in 2010 (specifically banned by the UK Home Office in 2009). Gravers has built transatlantic connections, co-founding Stop Islamization of Nations (SION) and collaborating with Stop Islamization of America (SIOA) and figures like American anti-Islam author and blogger Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch, as well as Pamela Geller and Tommy Robinson. His background includes training as a butcher, reflecting a working-class origin before transitioning to full-time activism. Gravers' work has drawn support from nationalist circles but widespread criticism from human rights and anti-racism organizations (e.g., Hope Not Hate, Southern Poverty Law Center) for promoting Islamophobia, extremism, and hate speech. He has been labeled a far-right extremist by these groups and has lobbied for the Danish People's Party while opposing figures like Asmaa Abdol-Hamid. Despite limited electoral success for SIAD and ongoing scrutiny from authorities for potential incitement, he continues advocacy through online platforms, publications, public statements, and alliances with international anti-Islam networks, emphasizing themes of cultural preservation and opposition to multiculturalism, EU immigration policies, and Sharia law. His ethnicity is Scandinavian, and he operates primarily from Denmark with influence extending across Europe and the US.