Norway marks the day when Fascist Anders Breivik killed 77 people

 

 Norway marks the day when on July 22 2011 thirty-two year-old Anders Behring Breivik, a Norwegian fascist, drove into the city center of Oslo where he placed a car bomb at the government quarter. The bomb went off at 3:25 pm killing eight people and wounding thirty others severely. The office of Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg from the Labor Party was badly damaged, and parts of the governmental quarter are to this day still inaccessible. Thereafter the same terrorist, Anders Behring Breivik, drove to the tiny of Island Utøya, 3 8 kilometers outside Oslo. Here the annual youth camp of the Labor Youth League was taking place, as it had done each year since 1950. Dressed up as a police officer he was allowed to enter the camp where he shortly after killed an unarmed police officer, the one person being in charge of the security on the Island. Hoping to target former Norwegian prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, whose appearance at the island that day was cancelled, he fired indiscriminately at adults and teens alike. The next hour the youth camp was transformed into a nightmare where teenagers in hiding, or on the run, were systematically tracked down and executed. Most of them were shot in the head or in the face at close range. From 17.22 to 6:35 pm sixty-nine people, mostly teenagers were murdered at Utøya. The two youngest victims were fourteen years old. In all 232 were left injured. Leaving the country and the world in shock. Here's a link to a poem I wrote at the time .https://teifidancer-teifidancer.blogspot.com/2011/07/after-utoya-norway.html

More than 500 survived, many. by hiding for several hours in the woods. Others swam into the cold water of the Tyrifjord from where they were rescued by locals.

Breivik’s attack was labelled terrorism, joining only two other terrorist attacks in the country since the second world war (the 1977 bombing of a left-wing bookshop, and a bomb thrown into a peaceful demonstration in 1979).

Breivik’s attack differed from the horrors of other headline-making mass shootings in that his shots were not “random carnage”, but targeted at fledgling political figures of the future. His use of the bomb as a distraction to aid his main attack was even more impactful, one in four Norwegians knew someone personally affected by the massacre.

Brevik’s actions led to copycat attacks in the Czech Republic and Poland in 2012 and the  New Zealand Mosque attacks in 2019 which left 51 dead and the massacre at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas, which claimed 23 lives.

Other sickening attacks since the Breivik massacre include the 2017 mosque gun attack in Quebec, the 2016 Munich shopping mall attack and the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting.

“When you’re looking at terrorism in advanced economies, it’s driven by disenfranchisement from society and alienation from the system,” Killelea told the Times.

Due to the contagious nature of mass shootings and the large amount of global media attention they receive, it is likely that this will continue to happen for years.

Two years ago, Norway was also, once more hit by far-right extremism when an armed far-right activist, after shooting dead his adopted, half-Asian sister, attempted to break into a mosque in Bærum. Worshippers successfully subdued him.

Only then did Norway’s security police changed its assessments and say that right-wing extremists were more likely to carry out domestic terrorism than Islamists. Eight years after Breivik's attack.

"I thought that Norway would positively change forever after the attacks," said Aasmund Aukrust, then-deputy leader of the Labour Youth Wing who helped organise the 2011 camp on Utøya.

"Ten years later, that hasn’t happened. And in many ways, the hate we see online and the threats against people in the Labour movement have increased."

According to the party, one in three Utøya survivors say that they have experienced hate speech or direct threats since the 2011 attacks.

Aukrust, now a national lawmaker for the Labour Party, is one of many who has been campaigning for a nationwide inquiry into the right-wing ideology.

There is hope that a new book, featuring a newfound openness and anger among survivors, will "lift the debate" and shed light on the historical roots of the far-right in Norway.

"What was very positive after the terror attacks was that people saw this as an attack on the whole of Norway. It was a way of showing solidarity,” said Aukrust.

"But that has disappeared. It was an attack on a multicultural society. And though it was the act of one person, we know that his views are shared by more people today than they were 10 years ago."

Memory politics, he organisation of collective memory by political ,by the Norwegian government was also deemed to be a "string of failures" by Jakobsen.

The government decided to tear down a landmark building in the centre of Oslo damaged by the bombing. The building had been adorned with a giant mural of a Picasso painting engraved by Norwegian sculptor Carl Nesjar. Critics said the decision to tear it down and replace it with a sparkling new building would erase the atrocities of July 22, 2011.

A positive element of Breivik’s legacy is that Norway, which already prohibits civilians from owning automatic weapons, announced plans in 2018 to  ban  semi-automatic gun ownership by 2021 (except for hunting and sport). Although the ban is yet to be enacted, there are over 40 different semi-automatic weapons slated to be largely outlawed. The ban would require current owners of semi-automatic weapons to surrender them to the authorities, and would prohibit future sales.

While Breivik believed that direct action was required over democracy, studies have shown that Norwegian youth are now more determined to use democracy than ever, with 67% of Norwegians aged 18-21 casting a ballot in 2013 elections, an increase of 10% from 2009.

Breivik was what researchers have called a “fame-seeking mass shooter” – he chose to be captured, and distributed photos and a manifesto to enhance his notoriety.

Court-ordered psychological assessment ultimately concluded that Breivik’s acts were the result of grandiose, delusional narcissism – his views were “extreme overvalued beliefs,” not delusions.

He wanted his audience to view him as a “freedom figher” acting against an imagined Islamist threat, when in reality he was a hate-filled fantasist who lacked any meaningful social connections or occupation. Like many similar perpetrators, he turned to mass shooting at a difficult and lonely point in his life.

Breivik was sentenced to preventative detention for 21 years in prison, the maximum sentence allowed by Norwegian law. This can be repeatedly extended by five years if needed. He may only be eligible for release if he is deemed rehabilitated. However, reports of his continuously disruprive and litigous behaviour.  Breivik still believes in forming a fascist revolution led by white supremacists. which make it unlikely he will be released anytime soon.

 A psychiatrist's assessment written in December 2016 said that Breivik "is more conspiratorial," wanted contact in jail with other extreme right-wingers and to form a fascist party with radicals on the outside. It also said that he was more convinced his ideas were right and that others' were wrong.

Although he is now behind bars, Norway is still wrestling with the devastating impact of his acts and  the far-right, anti-Islam ideology that inspired them. But ten years after the attacks, Norway’s strict gun laws are set to become more so, with fewer dangerous people accessing firearms. The youth of “generation Utøya” are more committed to political debate and less tolerant of violence, and better public understanding of the facts around mental illness and violence was a consequence of Breivik’s highly publicised trial.

Despite Breivik’s atrocity, he inadvertently made a civilised country even more so. Should he ever be released from prison, he may find himself in a Norway he no longer recognises.

The events of 2011 have been recorded in various book and film projects over the past decade.

On Netflix, 22 July focuses on the story of one survivor struggling to come to terms with the incident. It would have been very easy to focus such a movie on the tragic events on the island. While that's of course featured, the film focuses in much more on the experience of the one teenager after the day itself.

For a more in-depth look, I recommend the book that inspired the movie. One Of Us by Norwegian journalist Åsne Seierstad opens with a harrowing tale of what it was like to be stranded on the island with only the sound of gunshots for company: 

The heavy rain had eased off, but some last drops were still trickling down their necks and sweaty cheeks. They took in as little air as possible, trying to breathe without a sound. A raspberry bush had strayed out onto the cliff. Wild roses, pale pink, almost white, were clinging to the dance. The they heard footsteps approaching.

She then proceeds to explore the history of Anders Beiring Breivik from his troubled childhood to his right-wing activism and online gaming addiction, all through the lens of his lengthy trial in the Oslo courtrooms. You can read more about the book here.

A memorial planned near Utøya remains unfinished. Swedish artist Jonas Dahlberg's 'Memory Wound' project had been the one selected for the memorial after an international competition.

The work planned for the tip of the peninsula facing Utøya to be cut to create a gap but the decision was later reversed following complaints by locals.

The project the government later settled on was of 77 bronze statues, designed by Norwegian architect Manthey Kula.

"I think it’s shameful that Norway, 10 years after the terrorist attack, doesn’t have an official memorial site near Utoya," Tonje Brenna, the former deputy leader of the Youth Wing, and today Labour leader of Viken, the county where Utoya and Oslo stand, said.

"It stands in grave contrast to the fact that the Norwegian Labour Youth have created their own beautiful, respectful and award-winning memorial site on the island,” Brenna said. “The youth have been able to do the task the Norwegian government has been unable to do."

Thursday's rememberance events started with a memorial service outside what was once the Prime Ministr's office, an empty shell since the attack due to disagreements over how to rebuild it..

The service, which was broadcast on television, was attended by Prime Minister Erna Solberg, survivors and relatives  of the victims, political leaders and members of Norway's royal family.. 

Thousands of people gathered in the streets outside to mourn the 77 victims.

Disturbingly ten years after Brievik's lilling spree on social media there are still people motivated by extreme ideological thoughts, based on conspiracy theories and a fascist nazi view of the world.FAR-right terror attacks are rocketing with deaths soaring by 700 per cent in atrocities "inspired" by neo-Nazi Anders Breivik's massacre.

The 2020 Global Terrorism Index (GTI) found that despite a fall in the overall terrorism death toll some extremist factions are deadlier than ever.

In the West, far-right terror attacks soared by 250 per cent between 2014 and 2019 with the number of victims dying rising by 709 per cent.

There have now been more than 35 far-right terrorist incidents in the West every year for the past five years, the report reveals.

The terrifying rise appears to have been sparked by the 2011 massacre at a Norwegian summer camp by hate-fuelled Breivik, say experts.

Far-right propaganda on social media  is used by extremists to  try to exploit a captive audience during lockdown.and have tried to take advantage of the chaos and uncertainty caused by the global pandemic to spread extremist messages. They live on the internet, they live around the dinner table, they live in our communities , they live in  our neighbourhood.We have to  resist them so that what happened at Utøya Island  never happens again.

Over the last few year the media focus has solely been on that pathetic excuse of a human being, Anders Behring Breivik, Today I will try to rebalance this by focusing more on the victims of that fatal day on July 22,2011.

Hanna Endresen, 61, Oslo

Receptionist in the security department of the Government Administration Services. She was described as a “good colleague”.

Tove Ashill Knutsen, 56, Oslo

Secretary with the electricians and information technology workers’ union. On her way to subway station when bomb exploded.

Kai Hauge, 32, Oslo

Owned a bar and restaurant in Oslo. A colleague described his death as “a great loss”.

Jon Vegard Lervag, 32, Oslo

A lawyer who worked in the justice department. He was described as “socially engaged”.

Ida Marie Hill, 34, Oslo

Originally from Grue, Hedmark county, Ida worked as an adviser to the ministry of justice. She was described as “a dear and highly-valued employee”.

Hanne Ekroll Loevlie, 30, Oslo

A senior government worker originally from Tyristrand, Buskerud county. Colleagues said she “represented the best in us”.

Anne Lise Holter, 51, Valer i Oestfold, Oestfold county

Senior consultant to Norway’s PM Jens Stoltenberg’s office. Officials sent their “warmest thoughts and sympathy” to her family and friends.

Kjersti Berg Sand, 26, Nord-Ordal

Worked on international issues in Justice Department. Colleagues said they had lost a “dear and highly valued employee”.

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Utoeya island shooting
Utoeya island victims – photos of some of those who died are not available
Mona Abdinur, 18, Oslo

The committed young politician was described as “a well-loved friend, who was socially engaged and interested in multicultural issues”.

Maria Maageroe Johannesen, 17, Noetteroey, Vestfold county

Student at Greve Forest High School who was interested in music, dance and drama. Described as a wonderful, conscientious girl who was a “ray of sunshine”.

Ismail Haji Ahmed 19 Hamar, Hedmark county

Better known as Isma Brown after appearing on a talent show. The dance instructor was described as a “very bubbly, happy, caring and happy boy. He was very positive with a very big heart.”

Ronja Soettar Johansen, 17, Vefsn, Nordland county

An active blogger, Ronja had a keen interest in music. Friends said she was “a person with courage, commitment and kindness”.

Thomas Margido Antonsen, 16, Oslo

A student council representative. Described by friends as “a boy who spread joy”.

Sondre Kjoeren, 17, Orkdal, Soer-Troendelag county

Described as a gentle but committed person. He was said to have been heavily involved in efforts to get a new sports hall in his village.

Porntip Ardam, 21, Oslo

Known as Pamela. She was described as talented, super-intelligent, politically active and down to earth.

Margrethe Boeyum Kloeven, 16, Baerum, Akershus county

The student council leader was described as an “active and versatile girl”.

Modupe Ellen Awoyemi, 15, Drammen, Buskerud county

Daughter of the city council politician Lola Awoyemi. Described as a kind and open girl, who was active in AUF discussions.

Syvert Knudsen, 17, Lyngdal, Vest-Agder county

The student politician is believed to have been one of the first shot on the island. His family described him as a “bubbly” boy with a keen interest in music.

Lene Maria Bergum, 19, Namsos, Nord-Troendelag

Her head teacher described her as an excellent, beautiful youth, who was sociable, interested in international issues. She had planned to start a summer job as a journalist.

Anders Kristiansen, 18, Bardu, Troms county

An active young politician and leader of the AUF in his area. He was said to be “full of initiative” with “a great desire to work in politics”.

Kevin Daae Berland, 15, Akoey, Hordaland county

Active in Askoey AUF and was involved in local politics as well as being a member of the youth council.

Elisabeth Troennes Lie, 16, Halden, Oestfold county

A board member of the Halden AUF. Described as “the sweetest person in the world”.

Trond Berntsen, 51, Oevre Eiker, Buskerud county

Crown Princess of Norway’s step-brother. The royal court said the off-duty police officer was killed while working as a security guard on the island.

Gunnar Linaker, 23, Bardu, Troms county

Regional secretary of Labour party’s youth wing. Father described him as a “calm, big teddy bear with lots of humour and lots of love”.

Sverre Flate Bjoerkavag, 28, Sula, Soer-Troendelag county

Union official concerned about justice, equality and community thinking. Described as a well-liked young man who fought for pupils and students’ rights. Was training to be a nurse.

Tamta Lipartelliani, 23, Georgia

Secretary of the international committee of the Young Socialists of Georgia.

Torjus Jakobsen Blattmann, 17, Kristiansand,Vest-Agder county

Son of former political adviser. His father said he was a boy “full of humour” who loved playing the guitar.

Eva Kathinka Lutken, 17, Sarpsborg, Oestfold county

She was described as an active politician who was well liked.

Monica Boesei, 45, Hole, Buskerud county

PM Jens Stoltenberg said: “To many of us, she was the embodiment of Utoeya. And now she is dead. Shot and killed whilst taking care of and giving joy to young people.”

Even Flugstad Malmedal, 18, Gjoevik, Oppland county

The student with an interest in politics was described as “a gentle boy who stood up for his friends”.

Carina Borgund, 18, Oslo

Friends and family said she was “kind, caring, gentle and positive. She loved life and spread joy to everyone around her”.

Tarald Kuven Mjelde, 18, Osteroey

Said to be a big fan of Chelsea football team and described as “very warm, friendly and socially engaged”.

Johannes Buoe, 14, Mandal, Vest-Agder county

“An independent boy with a good sense of humour,” his parents told NRK. He was interested in dogs, hunting, snowmobiling and took an active part in the youth community.

Ruth Benedicte Vatndal Nilsen, 15, Toensberg, Vestfold county

Described by friends as “always happy, positive, and without prejudice”.

Asta Sofie Helland Dahl, 16, Sortland, Nordland county

Teachers described her as a wonderful girl who was “open and cheerful”.

Hakon Oedegaard, 17, Trondheim, Soer-Troendelag county

Music student at Heimdal high school and member of Byasen school marching band. Described as a role model for others in the band.

Sondre Furseth Dale, 17, Haugesund, Rogaland county

Had large network of friends through music scene and politics. Described as a dedicated person who put 100% into everything he was interested in.

Emil Okkenhaug, 15, Levanger, Nord-Troendelag county

A sports lover described as modest and liked by all who knew him.

Monica Iselin Didriksen, 18, Sund, Hordaland county

Active in Sund AUF, she was described by friends as a unique and bubbly girl.

Diderik Aamodt Olsen, 19, Nesodden, Akershus county

Vice president of Nesodden AUF. He was the youngest member of editorial staff working on the organisation’s magazine.

Gizem Dogan, 17, Trondheim, Soer-Troendelag county

Described as a clever student who contributed to the cohesion of her class. Elected as central member of local AUF a month before the tragedy.

Henrik Pedersen, 27, Porsanger, Finnmark county

Leader of Porsanger AUF. Described as a “breath of fresh air” in the local community. A Labour colleague said he was very engaged and engaging.

Andreas Edvardsen, 18, Sarpsborg, Oestfold county

Director of Sarpsborg AUF and active in in the Labour youth league regional committee in Oestfold. Described as “a very caring and confident person”.

Rolf Christopher Johansen Perreau, 25, Trondheim, Soer-Troendelag county

Known as Christopher. Long-term member of the AUF and was elected to the board in October. Described as a skilled orator and a charismatic young politician.

Tore Eikeland ,21, Osteroy, Hordaland county

PM Jens Stoltenberg described him as “one of our most talented young politicians”.

Karar Mustafa Qasim, 19, Vestby, Akershus county

Originally from Iraq, Karar was with friends at summer camp when he was killed. The local mayor described his death as “an enormous tragedy”.

Bendik Rosnaes Ellingsen, 18, Rygge, Oestfold county

Had a summer job at the justice ministry before attending camp. He was secretary of Moss Regional Labour Youth, who said they had lost a caring, open and inclusive boy.

Bano Abobakar Rashid, 18, Nesodden, Akershus county

Leader of Nesodden AUF. She was said to have dedicated her life to fighting for democracy and against racism.

Aleksander Aas Eriksen, 16, Meråker, Nord-Troendelag county

Described as socially-engaged as well as “impulsive and passionate”.

Henrik Rasmussen, 18, Hadsel, Nordland county

Treasurer of Hadsel AUF. Said to be a very committed person, both in politics and culture.

Andrine Bakkene Espeland, 16, Fredrikstad, Oestfold county

Described as a politically-engaged girl who was keen to take care of the weakest.

Synne Roeyneland, 18, Oslo

A student described by friends as a “funny girl, who always had something to offer: opinions about politics and love and fun and witty comments”.

Hanne Balch Fjalestad, 43, Lunner, Oppland county

Danish government confirmed the Danish national was killed while working on the island as a first aid assistant. She was with her 20-year-old daughter, who survived the shooting.

Ida Beathe Rogne, 17, Oestre Toten, Oppland county

A keen student described as happy and funny as well as determined.

Silje Merete Fjellbu, 17, Tinn, Telemark county

Student politician described as a “wonderful girl who had much to contribute”.

Simon Saebo, 18, Salangen, Troms county

The student politician was said to be a natural leader. Those who knew him described him as trusting and kind, and a person who showed great concern for others.

Hanne Kristine Fridtun, 19 Stryn, Sogn og Fjordane county

The nursing student was the local AUF county chairman. Described as energetic with great commitment.

Marianne Sandvik, 16, Hundvag, Stavanger

The student was described as a quiet girl who always stood up for those who needed her. Her father said she was concerned with injustice in the world.

Andreas Dalby Groennesby, 17, Stange, Hedmark county

His father had exchanged text messages with him before the shooting. His father told NRK that public support had helped at a painful, terrible time.

Fredrik Lund Schjetne, 18, Eidsvoll, Akershus county

Described by friends as “a great person” whom it was “an honour” to have known.

Snorre Haller, 30, Trondheim, Soer-Troendelag county

Painter and union man. He was a board member of the Joint Association’s Central Youth Committee. Described as a “kind, quiet and generous man”.

Lejla Selaci, 17, Fredrikstad, Oestfold county

Leader of the AUF in Fredrikstad. Described as a “very happy and social girl who committed herself to what she believed in”.

Rune Havdal, 43, Oevre Eiker, Buskerud county

Worked as a security guard on the island of Utoeya.

Birgitte Smetbak, 15, Noetteroey, Vestfold county

Politicians from her local area said hearing news of her death was “a difficult day”.

Guro Vartdal Havoll, 18, Oersta, Moere og Romsdal

An active and determined politician, the young student’s family said she was inspired by Ghandi and wanted to make the world a “better place”.

Isabel Victoria Green Sogn, 17, Oslo

An enthusiastic member of the AUF who saw her future involved in politics.

Ingrid Berg Heggelund, 18, As, Akershus county

A student who said she loved going to school.

Silje Stamneshagen, 18, Askoey, Hordaland county

Active in Askoey AUF and played in school band. Classmates described her as a happy girl who lit up the school day and every day.

Karin Elena Holst, 15, Rana, Nordland county

A member of the Rana AUF, she spoke to her mother during the shooting. She had urged her daughter to hang up and hide.

Victoria Stenberg, 17, Nes, Akershus county

The oldest of three siblings, she was said to be looking forward to the youth camp.

Eivind Hovden, 15, Tokke, Telemark county

Eivind was involved in his local youth centre and was attending his first summer camp. Described as an “amazing guy, always happy, caring and helpful”.

Tina Sukuvara, 18, Vadsoe, Finnmark county

Described as “very talented and engaged” and a person who participated actively in political debates.

Jamil Rafal Mohamad Jamil, 20, Eigersund, Rogaland county

Originally from Iraq, Jamil was described as happy, attentive and curious with a strong desire to contribute.

Sharidyn Svebakk-Boehn, 14, Drammen, Buskerud county

Known as Sissi to friends and family, the schoolgirl was described as a “beautiful, caring and vibrant girl”.

Steinar Jessen, 16 Alta, Finnmark county

A keen member of the AUF. The mayor of Alta described him as “a flower that would have grown big and strong”.

Havard Vederhus, 21, Oslo

Elected leader of Oslo Labour Youth in February. Friends said he was “ambitious and fearless”.

Espen Joergensen, 17, Bodoe, Nordland county

Had recently become head of Bodoe AUF. His best friend said he was someone who could “light up the darkest days”.

77 souls taken

77 dreams stolen

77 ideas destroyed

 Sources

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-14276074

earlier poem

https://teifidancer-teifidancer.blogspot.com/2011/07/after-utoya-norway.html