Saturday, June 25, thousands of people gathered on the city streets of Oslo and held out
rainbow flags to protest in support of the LGBTQ community. Earlier that same day, two people died and twenty-one were injured from what the police were treating as an act of “an
act of Islamic terrorism.”
The shooting happened Saturday morning in and around Oslo’s London Pub, a popular
LGBTQ+ venue, the Herr Nilsen jazz club, and another pub. Witnesses state that the suspect took out a gun from his bag and started shooting, forcing people to either throw themselves to the ground or flee. The attacker was later arrested by the police.
One eyewitness had told the police that he stepped on the shooter’s weapon while he was
restrained. As the shooter was being tackled by four people, his weapon was still on the ground. The witness described it to be a chaotic situation. “My thought then was to run and stand on it, so that no one would come,”, the witness told NRK.
A memorial service was held at Oslo Cathedral after the shooting to commemorate the
victims of this shooting during the pride parade at Oslo. Many gathered at the scene of violence, laid flowers and shed tears at this atrocity.
“During the day, the city was full of people who wanted to speak out, about sorrow and
anger, but also about support and solidarity and the will to continue on fighting, for the right of
every individual to live a free life, a safe life,” Mr Stoere said.
Even Mette-Marit, the Crowned Princess of Norway, attended the memorial. The cathedral
was decorated with brightly-colored flowers along with lit candles and rainbow flags. “Bullets
cannot kill love,” said the head of the Norwegian Protestant Church, Olav Fykse Tveit.
In the end, whether the shooter intended to direct his violence towards the LGBTQ
community and whether the violence had ruined Pride, “ Our case is strengthened – not his.”
rainbow flags to protest in support of the LGBTQ community. Earlier that same day, two people died and twenty-one were injured from what the police were treating as an act of “an
act of Islamic terrorism.”
The shooting happened Saturday morning in and around Oslo’s London Pub, a popular
LGBTQ+ venue, the Herr Nilsen jazz club, and another pub. Witnesses state that the suspect took out a gun from his bag and started shooting, forcing people to either throw themselves to the ground or flee. The attacker was later arrested by the police.
One eyewitness had told the police that he stepped on the shooter’s weapon while he was
restrained. As the shooter was being tackled by four people, his weapon was still on the ground. The witness described it to be a chaotic situation. “My thought then was to run and stand on it, so that no one would come,”, the witness told NRK.
A memorial service was held at Oslo Cathedral after the shooting to commemorate the
victims of this shooting during the pride parade at Oslo. Many gathered at the scene of violence, laid flowers and shed tears at this atrocity.
“During the day, the city was full of people who wanted to speak out, about sorrow and
anger, but also about support and solidarity and the will to continue on fighting, for the right of
every individual to live a free life, a safe life,” Mr Stoere said.
Even Mette-Marit, the Crowned Princess of Norway, attended the memorial. The cathedral
was decorated with brightly-colored flowers along with lit candles and rainbow flags. “Bullets
cannot kill love,” said the head of the Norwegian Protestant Church, Olav Fykse Tveit.
In the end, whether the shooter intended to direct his violence towards the LGBTQ
community and whether the violence had ruined Pride, “ Our case is strengthened – not his.”
