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OSLO

LGBT solidarity event in Oslo cancelled over police fears of copycat attacks

Organisers have cancelled an LGBT solidarity event planned for Monday night at Oslo City Hall after Norwegian police advised the public not to attend and requested that Pride events be called off nationwide over fears there could be copycat terror attacks.

Published: 27 June 2022 11:06 CEST
Updated: 27 June 2022 19:35 CEST
Pictured are LGBT flags.
A solidarity event will be held at Oslo's town hall on Monday night. Pictured are LGBT flags. Photo by daniel james on Unsplash

Organisers have cancelled a Pride event outside Oslo City Hall on Monday night, following a recommendation from the police. 

“We are sorry that we once again have to come out with a message that a Pride celebration must once again be canceled”, Inger Kristin Haugsevje, head of Oslo Pride, said in the press release

The event had been scheduled to go ahead at 7:30pm and feature music, speeches and a minute of silence. Police, however, suggested the event be postponed and all Pride events across the country be put on hold. 

Police said that the decision to advise against the event was based on a recommendation from counter-terrorism and intelligence service PST. 

“PST considers that we are still in an extraordinary threat situation. A terrorist attack has been carried out, and there is an unresolved threat,” police director Benedicte Bjørnland said. 

PST said it was focused on preventing copycat attacks following three shootings in Oslo, one at the London Pub gay bar, in the early hours of Saturday, leaving two dead and 21 injured. 

“We fear a follow-up action. We have seen cases of this in other countries, and it is not unusual for some to be inspired or for more people to have the same way of thinking as has happened here, and who may consider committing a new terrorist act in Norway,” Roger Berg, temporary head of PST, told public broadcaster NRK. 

Oslo police had given the event the go-ahead on Sunday before changing their advice. 

“We have been in contact with the organiser before. Then it was a small event. Now it has developed into a very large celebration. We recommend it doesn’t go ahead,” Martin Strand from Oslo police told public broadcaster NRK on Monday afternoon before the organiser’s cancelled. 

“We can not guarantee the safety,” Strand added. 

Before it was announced that the event would be cancelled, police were still set to be present at Rådhusplassen should people turn up anyway. 

Governing Mayor of Oslo, Raymond Johansen, asked the public to follow the police’s advice. 

“This afternoon, the police have come up with new advice and asked Oslo Pride to postpone their event at Rådhusplassen tonight. The municipality of Oslo takes note of this, and as a city councillor, I ask people to follow the police advice,” Johansen wrote in a Facebook post. 

READ MORE: Norway pays tribute to victims of Oslo shooting

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OSLO

Potential bankruptcy threatens bus services in Oslo 

The strained finances of bus provider Unibuss could cause chaos for Oslo’s bus network if the company folds. 

Published: 24 April 2024 12:08 CEST
Potential bankruptcy threatens bus services in Oslo 

Unibuss, which is wholly owned by Oslo Municipality, is in danger of going bust due to large losses, unpaid bills, and fines from public transport firm Ruter for issues with its electric bus fleet this winter. 

Oslo City Council will hold an emergency meeting headed up by transport councilor Marit Vea on Wednesday, where she will be grilled on how the council will avert a collapse in the city’s public transport network should Unibuss go bankrupt. 

Unibuss is comprised of four smaller companies that operate bus routes in Oslo on behalf of Ruter. The company has just over 370 buses in operation and covers around 60 to 70 percent of the routes in Oslo and the neighboring municipality of Bærum. 

Oslo’s fleet of electric busses struggled especially with snow and cold temperatures this winter, which caused frequent chaos across the capital’s public transport network. 

Snow, ice, range and charging issues for the busses lead to vehicle shortages which caused mass delays and cancellations several times over the winter. 

Ruter, which is also part owned by Oslo municipality, believes that the financial problems facing Unibuss mean the company could be forced to file for bankruptcy or undergo a major restructuring, according to a memo obtained by publication Teknisk Ukeblad.  

It has previously told public broadcaster that it was working on a plan in case Unibuss goes bankrupt. 

“There is no doubt that the first days of such a scenario will be very demanding for the residents of Oslo and parts of Akershus,” Ruter’s communications director Elisabeth Skarsbø Moen told public broadcaster NRK.  

“First and foremost, we are working to find a solution together with Unibuss that does not affect Ruter’s customers,” she said. 

“But as those responsible for public transport, we have both a plan and an emergency organization ready to also handle a bankruptcy,” Skarsbø Moen added. 

Should Unibuss go bankrupt, its buses would become part of the bankruptcy estate and if such an event were to occur while passengers were in transit, all passengers would need to disembark at the next stop so the buses can be transported to the depot. 

Ruter said it had an eye on the market to try and see what could be available in terms of extra buses and equipment. 

It said that its priority would be to ensure that school transport, and that healthcare workers could get to work, in the event of a sudden lack of buses. 

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