Oslo

Mass choir of 40,000 sang in Breivik protest

Lillebjørn Nillsen

Artist Lillebjørn Nilsen led when a mass choir gathered at Youngstorget in downtown Oslo on Thursday to sing his song "Children of the Rainbow" (Barn av regnbuen) in protest against Behring Breivik.

The protest was a spontaneous Facebook reaction after Breivik stated in court that the song is an example of Marxistic influence on Norwegian children.

An overwhelming crowd of 40,000 people braved the pouring rain and gathered at the square, according to the police. Beforehand, around 5,000 had signed up to say they would be coming.

The song describes a "World where - every sister and every brother - shall live together - like small children of the rainbow".

The ministers of culture from five Nordic countries, - Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, the Faroes and Norway,-  participated in the singing, NRK reports.

Following the singing, the crowd went in a rose parade from the Youngstorget Square to the Oslo City Court, where the trial against Anders Behring Breivik is held.

There are also reports of similar spontaneous gatherings from many other places around the country.

Source: NRK and Norway Post.