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Participants in the solidarity demonstration in Oslo
Photo: Getty Images
Despite a cancellation by the organizers and recommendations from the police not to hold a large solidarity celebration, thousands of people came together in Norway's capital Oslo on Monday evening.
The participants marched in front of the city hall with placards and rainbow flags and thus set an example for tolerance after the deadly attack in a gay bar.
The organizers of the "Oslo Pride" parade had actually canceled the solidarity rally scheduled for the evening on the advice of the police.
A few hours earlier, the authorities had advised the organizers to take the step for security reasons.
The reason given was that the rally was likely to be much larger than originally planned and that safety could therefore not be guaranteed.
Since the attack on Saturday night, the security authorities have been on the alert.
The attacker fired shots around a popular gay bar on Saturday night.
Two people died and 21 others were injured.
The Norwegian secret service PST classifies the attack as an Islamist terrorist attack.
A 43-year-old Norwegian with Iranian roots was arrested minutes after the first shots were fired.
On Monday afternoon, a court in Oslo ordered the suspect to remain in custody for four weeks.
The man was largely forbidden from contact with the outside world for the period.
The motive for the crime is still unclear.
According to the police, it is possible that it could have been a hate crime explicitly directed against homosexuals.
The suspect has so far refused to testify.
The 43-year-old faces charges of "terrorism", murder and attempted murder.
Oslo Pride is Norway's largest celebration of sexual diversity.
The organizers had already wanted to celebrate their parade through the Norwegian capital on Saturday, but canceled it after the attack.
Nevertheless, thousands of people spontaneously gathered on Saturday and walked through the city together.
fek/dpa/AFP