Police in the Norwegian coastal town of Egersund have a suspect in the vandalism of a local rock formation that resembled an erect penis. The rock known as Trollpikken (The Troll Cock) is likely to be re-erected after a spurt of international publicity that climaxed with a surge of donations to finance repairs.
Three days after Trollpikken was found to have been cut down, police report that they have questioned a person they suspect of being behind the vandalism. “The person is a suspect, also after being questioned,” local prosecutor Christina Nessa told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK).
Police have said they now have hope they’ll be able to solve the case. The local landmark was deliberately damaged, and the vandalism has set off enormous public interest and commitment to repair the damage. The goal of raising NOK 200,000 to finance the repairs has already been reached.
Local tourism officials and politicians had been in the midst of mounting an effort to promote Trollpikken as an alternative tourist attraction to the other nearby rock formations Preikestolen, Trolltunga (The Troll’s Tongue) and Kjeragbolten. Both attract hordes of tourists, causing crowding and raising the risk of accidents. They ended getting more publicity for Trollpikken than they could have possibly imagined, after international media picked up on the story and spread it from Japan to the UK.
There’s been some suspicion that the promoters are behind the vandalism, with even the regional tourist chief saying her children have asked her if cutting off the penis-shaped rock was a PR stunt. “My kids have brought this up around the dinner table,” Elisabeth Saupstad, tourist chief for Region Stavanger, told NRK. “They wonder whether I did it, to raise interest, but I can of course deny that.”
She has no doubt that adults were behind the vandalism, given the advanced equipment they had to use to make the rock break off and tumble to the ground below. The motive for such an act remained unclear Tuesday even though the surrounding area is known for being Norway’s “Bible Belt” and extremely conservative. Some speculate that local fundamental Christians found the rock offensive after its promotion began.
“I’d never dreamed this attraction could get so much attention,” Kjetil Bentsen, leader of the local Trollpikken group that launched the effort to promote it as a tourist attraction, told NRK. “It would be great if we can get it up again.”
newsinenglish.no/Nina Berglund
