Sunday 26 June 2022 01:27 PM Norwegian royals remember victims of Oslo terror attack on gay bar before ... trends now
Norway's royal family and senior officials gathered to remember the two people killed in an apparent terrorist attack on a gay bar in Oslo this weekend.
Zaniar Matapour, 42, has been charged with terror offences after opening fire at the city centre LGBT+ haunt London Pub in the early hours on Saturday morning.
More than 20 people were injured, with ten seriously wounded in the gunfire.
Matapour was arrested at the scene with the help of clubgoers at around 1.15am.
Shortly before midday local time, leading politicians including Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre attended a service at Oslo Cathedral.
Also present was Crown Princess Mette-Marit. Her husband, Crown Prince Haakon, missed the service with Covid.
King Harald, 82, also did not attend the memorial, but said yesterday that he was 'horrified' by the attack.
The monarch added: 'We must stand together to [defend] freedom, diversity and respect for each other.'
Domprost Anne-May Grarsaas led the service this morning at Oslo Cathedral in front of LGBT flags and decorations
Crown Princess Mette-Marit attended today's service without her Covid-stricken husband, who visited the site yesterday
Crown Princess Mette-Marit (centre, in navy) was pictured entering the service before midday with Church of Norway leaders
One mourner struggled to contain his emotions at the decorated scene of the crime yesterday, where many people gathered
The cathedral was decorated in solidarity with LGBT+ Norwegians. The Crown Princess sat on the front row
Crown Prince Haakon (centre) was unable to attend today's service after testing positive for Covid. He is pictured between Crown Princess Mette-Marit (left) and the prime minister (right)
Matapour is an ex-plumber with severe mental health issues including paranoid schizophrenia and PTSD.
He was investigated by the state security services as a potential threat just one month ago, but found not to pose any imminent danger.
Speaking at the memorial service, Støre said the attack may have put an end to the official Pride parade, which was called off, but did not stop the fight 'against discrimination, prejudices and hate.'
The premier, dressed in black, talked about the thousands of people that spontaneously demonstrated on Saturday in the streets of Oslo, waving rainbow flags and laying flowers at the crime scene to honor the victims.
Hundreds paid their respects yesterday despite being warned of potential violence and an 'extraordinary' terror threat
Prime minister Støre today celebrated the persistence of Pride gatherers in the face of tragedy hours before the Pride march
'During the day, the city was full of people who wanted to speak out, about sorrow and anger, but also about support and solidarity and the will to continue on fighting, for the right of every individual to live a free life, a safe life,' he said.
'These misdeeds remind us of this. This fight is not over. It is not safe from dangers. But we are going to win it, together,' he told the audience - which also included mourners, ministers and Church of Norway leaders - in the cathedral which was decorated with rainbow flags.
The suspect's lawyer, John Christian Elden, was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Reuters.
Zaniar Matapour, 42, has been charged with terrorism, murder and attempted murder
He told broadcaster TV2 it was not possible to draw any conclusions about the motives or reasons for the attack.
'It is far too early to do so,' Elden said.
Matapour, who arrived in Norway as a 12-year-old refugee, is subject to a psychiatric evaluation in the coming days as part of the investigation, police said.
The questionings on Saturday and Sunday came to a quick end, his lawyer said.
'He did not
