On Saturday, June 25, two people were killed and twenty-one others were injured in Oslo, Norway’s capital. Then, on Sunday, a memorial was held at the Oslo Cathedral to commemorate the victims of the shooting. The suspect was, according to BBC News, “a 42-year-old Norwegian man of Iranian descent who was known to the security services.”
Before the memorial, the church was decorated with rainbow flags and ribbons. This is because the shooting was motivated by homophobia and transphobia, which are defined as hatred towards gay and transgender people. The rainbow decorations commemorated the deaths and injuries of the people whom the terrorist attacked. Another location targeted was a popular LGBTQ+ venue called the Herr Nilsen Jazz Club.
The head of the Norwegian Protestant Church, Olav Fykse Tveit, sermonized, “We see that we can learn, sometimes in spite of ourselves, that diversity is a present, a richness, and that many homosexuals have a capacity for love that we are incapable of.”
A woman who later spoke about being a witness of the terrorist attack claimed that the culprit was her neighbor. The fact that her partner is of the same gender is what makes this even more terrifying.
The terror alert level in Norway on Saturday was raised to its highest level, even though “no indication” of further attacks seemed likely, according to the country’s PST intelligence service. However, attacks like this are prone to happen anytime and anywhere, especially at events associated with the LGBTQ+ community.
Before the memorial, the church was decorated with rainbow flags and ribbons. This is because the shooting was motivated by homophobia and transphobia, which are defined as hatred towards gay and transgender people. The rainbow decorations commemorated the deaths and injuries of the people whom the terrorist attacked. Another location targeted was a popular LGBTQ+ venue called the Herr Nilsen Jazz Club.
The head of the Norwegian Protestant Church, Olav Fykse Tveit, sermonized, “We see that we can learn, sometimes in spite of ourselves, that diversity is a present, a richness, and that many homosexuals have a capacity for love that we are incapable of.”
A woman who later spoke about being a witness of the terrorist attack claimed that the culprit was her neighbor. The fact that her partner is of the same gender is what makes this even more terrifying.
The terror alert level in Norway on Saturday was raised to its highest level, even though “no indication” of further attacks seemed likely, according to the country’s PST intelligence service. However, attacks like this are prone to happen anytime and anywhere, especially at events associated with the LGBTQ+ community.
