This past Friday, 22 July, Norway experienced its worst catastrophe since World War II when in the afternoon a bomb attack struck the government quarters in the capital Oslo, leaving death and destruction, followed by a gunman’s shooting rampage at the labour party’s youth camp at the island of Utøya.
At this time reports show that these acts of terror are the work of a lone right-wing extremist and the death toll stands at a total of 92 while the number of injured is at 97. Something that has struck me, apart from shock and loss of words to describe the feelings of what we’re witnessing, is how well the Royal Family has responded and is leading the nation in the process following the attacks.
After a very powerful statement by Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg in a press conference in the afternoon, the Royal Palace in Oslo followed up with a written statement by King Harald on their website late Friday night.
We have been witness to gruesome acts, both in Oslo and on Utøya.
Our thoughts naturally go to those who are afflicted and their next of kin. But they also go to the Prime Minister, who I have spoken to; to the political Norway.
We would like to thank those who have helped save lives, saved people from this terrible situation.
Now it is important that we stand together and support one-another. That we don’t let fright dominate, but that we support each other and come through this terrible situation that we have experienced.
Yesterday, Saturday 23 July, the palace also announced that the annual summer opening would be cancelled for the weekend and at the same time extra security surrounded the building. In the afternoon King Harald, Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon travelled to the Sundvollen Hotel, on the mainland in Krokkleiva in Hole Municipality, near the island of Utøya where a crisis centre had been established. Together with the Prime Minister and other government ministers they walked around and talked too and comforted people who had been afflicted by the shooting and thanked people that contributed to the rescue and post-shooting help efforts.
In the evening Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit together with Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Prince Sverre Magnus and Marius Borg Høiby visited the Oslo Cathedral where they lit candles in memory of the victims. They also looked at the huge memorial site outside the cathedral where people have been, and still are, lighting candles and leaving flowers or other small items in memory of the attack victims.
At 6:30 PM on Saturday evening, King Harald spoke to the nation on the country’s two biggest TV channels.
Norway is struck by a national tragedy. What we sincerely hoped would never happen, has nevertheless happened.
At Sundvolden today we have met young people and their relatives who shared their gruesome stories with us. They have lived through 24 hours that none of us can relate too. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies go to all of those who are afflicted, in Oslo and at Utøya.
The police, rescue crews, help personnel and volunteers have fought to save lives and made a through-and-through heroic effort for all of us, also with danger for own lives. We are all marked by this incomprehensible that has struck over us, and have with disbelief received the news of the increasing number of dead.
In the midst of all the agony and lack of overall picture we have seen the Prime Minister, government and departments handle the situation in an excellent way.
Both as individual persons and as a nation we will use a long time to digest and process impressions, grief and feelings. In this process we need each other. All over the country people have lost someone they liked. Many children and young people are afraid today. We have to take extra good care of them. For many it is important to be together, while others have a need for still reflection. It is good that the country’s churches are open to all who wish to light candles and need a place to be. It is also good that local authorities and volunteer organisations offer those who need to come together.
There is still a lot that we don’t know about the background for yesterday’s gruesome events, and it is important that we let the responsible work with bringing clarity to this. But some things we do know: the acts that were carried out in Oslo and at Utøya are an attack on the Norwegian society that we cherish so much. And it is an attack on the core of the Norwegian democracy.
It is when our nation is put to the test that the strength, cohesion and mote to the Norwegian people becomes clear. Now we stand firm to our values.
I hold on to the belief that freedom is stronger than fear.
I hold on to the belief in an open Norwegian democracy and community life.
I hold on to the belief in our possibilities to live free and secure in our own country.
Today at 11 in the forenoon King Harald, Queen Sonja, Princess Märtha Louise and Ari Behn attended a service for grief and hope in Oslo Cathedral while Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit attended one in the Norderhov Church in Ringerike Municipality.
The Prime Minister, President of the Parliament and the leader of the labour party’s youth movement along with members of the diplomatic corps and other high representatives of various organs attended the service in Oslo. Members of the public had queued since early morning and there was not enough room for all who wanted to attend. The Bishop of Oslo, Ole Christian Kvarme, led the service and begun by quoting Nordahl Grieg:
- We are so few in this country, every fallen is brother and friend.
Prime Minister Stoltenberg also addressed the cathedral congregation in a very personal and moving way, addressing the grief of the nation and sharing the names and profiles of two people killed in the island shooting that he personally knew. Stoltenberg also quoted a girl from the youth movement that he had heard being interviewed on CNN:
- If one man can show so much hate, imagine how much love we can all show together.
In Norderhov Church, not far from Utøya, the Crown Prince Couple were joined by members of the government along with many young people affected by the tragedy and their family and friends. The Bishop of Tunsberg, Laila Riksaasen Dahl, led the service and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jonas Gahr Støre, addressed the attendants.
This afternoon the Crown Prince Couple have visited Ringerike Hospital and the Royal Couple the Oslo University Hospital. King Harald and Queen Sonja started a visit to the government quarters in Oslo, where the bombing occurred, at 4:30 PM.
More coverage: Daylife’s photo stream from Oslo keeps updating, BBC News website is a good starting point to follow the latest news developments. Photos and a video of the royal visit to light candles in Oslo Cathedral yesterday can be seen here, King Harald’s speech to the nation can be seen here (in Norwegian). Videos from the memorial services today Saturday can be seen here (Oslo), here (Noderhov), here (Oslo) and here (Norderhov). Photos from the service in the Noderhov Church can be seen here.
Photo: Cathrine Wessel/The Royal Court, press photo from the official website.
Note: The translations of King Harald’s statement and speech are my own very unofficial ones, done to my best ability and perhaps not perfectly as I am Swedish and not Norwegian after all (might not see and the little undertones of the language).
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