On Saturday 25 June, hours before pride events were scheduled to occur, a shooting at a gay bar in Oslo killed two and injured 21. These figures are reported by Reuters. According to The Washington Post, the perpetrator is a 42-year-old Norwegian citizen originally from Iran. He is now being charged with murder, attempted murder and terrorist acts. Police were aware of him before the attack, AP News reports; they suspected that he had become radicalised and was part of an Islamist Network. Although Norwegian police cancelled the Pride Parade and other events scheduled for that day, a spontaneous group of people gathered near the bar to show their support and condolences. The suspect himself has refused to talk to police. Although investigators have multiple hypotheses, the Associated Press reports that there is no confirmed motive for the shooting.
Roger Berg, the head of Norway’s domestic intelligence and security service, said the shooting was being viewed as an act of “extreme Islamist terror”. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre described the act as “a cruel and deeply shocking attack on innocent people”. In a statement, he said “Let there be no doubt: we are one community. A diverse and strong community. We will never let ourselves be threatened into silence […] or intimidated into giving up our values”. Regarding the possibility that the act was inspired by Islamic extremism, he said, “if this is an instance of Islamist terror, [as the Norwegian Police Security Service points out] then many Muslims will be feeling vulnerable today and in the time ahead of us. I also know that many Muslims are frightened and distressed. So it is our common responsibility to make it clear that no one is responsible for this attack other than the person or persons directly behind it.”
By prosecuting this as a terrorist act, Norway takes an important step in recognizing the continued existence of homophobia and its violent consequences. Equally, referring to the actions of a man with Iranian origins as “Islamist terror” could perpetuate Islamophobia and anti-immigration sentiment. Since the suspect has not spoken of a specifically Islamic extremist motive, it is difficult to determine whether the attack was prompted by religious beliefs, homophobia, or simply a desire to inflict terror. Overall, the Norwegian government and police’s response to the attack was commendable, acknowledging the harm that was done to an important part of their community.
The Washington Post has noted the suspect’s history of mental illness, his minor previous offences and suspected involvement in an Islamist network. However, police had not deemed him a threat to himself or others after speaking to him previously. Norway is considered progressive in terms of LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance. UCLA Williams Institute rates it as one of the most accepting countries in 2020. Norway also has a relatively low crime rate but has nonetheless experienced several “lone-wolf” attacks recently.
This attack was certainly a tragedy and fear among the LGBTQ+ community is understandable. Norway have investigated the attack as an act of terrorism and have explicitly expressed support for the LGBTQ+ community. In so doing, they have reassured their citizens that they will work to protect them and that they will take seriously any attack against their people, including minorities. Norway’s response is commendable and should serve as an example for any other countries that unfortunately may experience similar tragedies.
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