Knut Anders Sørum from Toten had played a concert and was going to visit the London pub before he went home. As he stood on the street outside eating a burger, the unthinkable happened. A man pulled out an automatic weapon and started firing. – Then I see a guy in London who is dating. Then I turn and look in the other direction and there is a guy with an automatic rifle pointing at us. Then I ran, everything I love, says Knut Anders Sørum. He ran into a doorway and down into a basement. There he hid with several others. Where does the turbidity come from? Knut Anders Sørum has not had the terrible experience from a distance yet, but he will not be afraid. He came out as gay in adulthood. – I do not want to let this here be allowed to rule then, he says. But he thinks many in the queer environment are afraid that many will feel less safe. Many were scared even before this happened, says Sørum. – We have seen a boom in comment fields and lots of grumbling that comes to the surface, so it is not a new feeling either, to think that; shit, anything can actually happen. He does not know why. Maybe there has been too much attention around Pride this year. – There is an incredible amount of grumbling that has appeared lately. Lots of conspiracy theories that pride sexualizes children, lots of stuff that is just completely on the ground. I do not know. It comes from somewhere. He has wondered a lot about what it comes from. – What is so dangerous, he asks? GRUMS: There are a lot of grums and many conspiracy theories, says Knut Anders Sørum. Photo: ISMAIL BURAK AKKAN / news A lot of hate crime Although new surveys show that Norwegians’ attitudes towards gays, lesbians, bisexuals or other people who violate gender norms are more positive than before, there is still a lot of hatred. LGBT people experience being exposed to hateful and derogatory remarks to a far greater extent than others. This is shown by the survey that Opinion has done for Bufdir (Directorate of Children, Youth and Families). In 2020, the police received 97 reports of hate crime on the basis of sexual orientation. The police in Oslo say in a report that they have seen a clear increase in such hate crime in the last year. More are positive to queer Norwegians’ attitudes towards gays, lesbians, bisexuals or other people who break gender norms are more positive than before. It shows a survey conducted by Opinion for Bufdir. 83 per cent of the respondents answered positively that two people of the same sex live together in pairs in 2022, compared with 70 per cent in 2008. 66 per cent state that they are positive about lesbian women / girls in 2022, compared with 47 per cent in 2008. 51 per cent states that they are positive to people who have changed gender in 2022, compared to 36 percent in 2013 when the question was asked for the first time. 67 percent of those surveyed believe that conversion therapy should be banned, while 12 percent disagree. 26 per cent agree that there should be a third legal gender in Norway, against 39 per cent who disagree. 34 percent neither agree nor disagree, nor are they uncertain. In some questions, men express negative attitudes towards LGBTQ people to a somewhat greater extent than women. In general, people under the age of 50 express more positive attitudes towards lhbtiq people. People living in cities are more positive towards lhbtiq people than those living in smaller places or in the countryside. Non-believers are more positive towards LGBT people and more positive that they show caresses in public, than believers. The attitude survey was conducted four times, in 2008, 2013, 2017 and 2022. Source: Directorate for Children, Youth and Families Aggressive debate Conservative deputy leader Henrik Asheim (H), who is himself gay, believes the pride debate has been extra painful and aggressive this year. AGGRESSIVE DEBATE: Conservative deputy leader Henrik Asheim thinks the pride debate has been painful and aggressive this year. Photo: Jon Petrusson / news He thinks things are sauced together so that the importance of the pride event disappears. – What is really just about people who gather to celebrate that even queers can live free lives in public, kiss their girlfriend on the street, all these things, it must not be sauced along with heated political debates that are completely legitimate, but which is not necessarily what the pride flag represents, says Asheim. Despite the fear and gathering, the Pride Parade and the party that was to be in Oslo on Saturday was canceled for security reasons after the shooting the night before. Many still gathered spontaneously and went in parade. And many went to the scene of the shooting and laid down flowers and pride flags. Monday night there will be a gathering at Rådhusplassen and Knut Anders Sørum will go there. – I think people need to mark. I think people need to speak out, to show support. On Monday afternoon, the police ask people not to go there, and that the organizer cancels the marking. Those who still leave are asked to stay in the area on Rådhusplassen. Before this recommendation came, Knut Anders Sørum said that he thinks people may have been afraid to participate, but that they still need to participate. – I think both. Simply. But I think there will be a lot of people, says Knut Anders Sørum.
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Knut Anders Sørum experienced the shooting drama outside the London pub
