“Benjamin Hermansen was an ordinary boy from Holmlia. He was killed because his skin was darker than mine. Think about that. To be killed for being who you are,” Oslo Mayor Anne Lindboe said in City Hall on Monday. Norway commemorated the 25th anniversary of Benjamin Hermansen's murder with a memorial event that drew officials, schoolchildren, and the crown prince couple to reflect on a tragedy that still echoes across the country.
A City Hall Filled with Memory
The Oslo City Hall chamber was silent as 800 middle school students from across the capital joined Mayor Lindboe, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, and government representatives. The event opened with a performance by singer Maria Mena and pianist Hans Olav Baden, followed by an appearance by artist Musti. The gathering was not just a remembrance but a reaffirmation of Oslo's stance against hatred. Lindboe, from the Conservative Party, stood before the young audience to deliver a speech that linked past and present. She emphasized that Hermansen's death in 2001 was a catalyst for a national movement against racism, one that remains urgent today.
The Murder That Shocked a Nation
Benjamin Hermansen was 15 years old when he was killed on January 26, 2001, in Holmlia, Oslo. He was attacked by neo-Nazis, a crime that prosecutors said was motivated by his mixed Norwegian-Ghanaian heritage. The murder sent shockwaves through Norway, a country then grappling with rising far-right extremism. In the days that followed, an estimated 40,000 people took to the streets of Oslo in a massive torchlight procession. They marched under the banner “Never forget Benjamin,” a plea that became a rallying cry against intolerance. The event marked one of the largest public demonstrations against racism in Norwegian history, forcing a national conversation about identity and safety.
Leaders Echo a Promise: We Do Not Forget
Storting President Masud Gharahkhani laid flowers at the Benjamin Hermansen memorial in Holmlia on Monday. Gharahkhani, who was roughly the same age as Hermansen at the time of the murder, spoke of its personal impact. “He was killed because he was not white, and that made a deep impression on me,” Gharahkhani said. “On the bust are the words 'do not forget.' That is an important message. We must not forget, and we must continue to mark this. The fight against racism and hate crime is still not won.” His words underscored a shared responsibility to confront prejudice, a theme echoed by other speakers at the City Hall event. Representatives from Oslo's city council and the national government also addressed the crowd, stressing that remembrance must translate into action.
From Benjamin to Tamima: A Continuing Struggle
Mayor Lindboe drew a direct line from Hermansen's murder to another recent tragedy. “Last year it happened again. Tamima Nibras Juhar, a young woman who devoted her life to children and youth in Oslo, was killed while she was at work. For being who she was,” Lindboe said. Juhar, who was of Kurdish background, was stabbed in an Oslo school in 2023 in what police described as a hate-motivated attack. By linking these two events, Lindboe highlighted how racism and hate crime persist in Norwegian society, challenging any notion that the battle ended with the torchlight processions of 2001. The memorial served as a stark reminder that vulnerability remains for those targeted because of their ethnicity or beliefs.
The Unfinished Fight Against Hatred
The 25th anniversary comes at a time when Norway continues to report incidents of hate speech and violence. The memorial event focused on education, with hundreds of schoolchildren present to hear the messages firsthand. Lindboe ended her speech by stating, “We do not forget Benjamin. We do not forget Tamima.” This refrain encapsulates the ongoing effort to keep memory alive as a tool for change. The participation of the crown prince couple signaled national unity in this endeavor, while the musical performances provided a moment of reflection on loss and hope. For many Norwegians, Hermansen's name has become synonymous with the cost of intolerance, a reference point in discussions about integration and diversity.
A Legacy Carried Forward
As the ceremony concluded, the students filed out of City Hall into the Oslo winter. The memorial bust in Holmlia, inscribed with the words “do not forget,” stands as a physical testament to a young life cut short. Gharahkhani's visit there emphasized that the Storting, Norway's parliament, views this history as part of its democratic fabric. The challenge now, as voiced by leaders, is to ensure that new generations understand this history without having to relive it. With hate crimes still making headlines, from Oslo streets to online forums, the pledge to remember Benjamin Hermansen is more than a ritual. It is a call to vigilance in a society still working to live up to its ideals of equality and safety for all.