On 8 January, when similar demonstrations were taking place in other capital cities worldwide, more than 500 people met outside the Norwegian embassy in Belgrave Square, London, to protest against the removal of five children from a Christian family in Norway on grounds of ‘Christian indoctrination’.
The demonstrators were mainly Romanian Christians out to support the Romanian/Norwegian Bodnariu family, whose children were removed by the Barnevernet (Norwegian child welfare services) in November (see January en).
A number of pastors made impassioned speeches and prayers that moved protestors to tears. Questions were raised on the legality and reasoning behind the Barnevernet’s actions, as the Bodnarius’s case is by no means a lone one: thousands of immigrant children in Norway have reportedly been removed from families, many for seemingly questionable reasons.
Kidnapping
One placard held by protestors read: ‘Why are you silent, Europe? Norway is kidnapping your children.’ Even so, the atmosphere was not one of despair, but rather of hope that our good God is more than capable of ensuring that the Bodnariu children are returned.
It was encouraging to see such a large turnout in support of the family. Please pray for the family, who, despite being told in December that they would be officially evaluated in February, were also told that the Barnevernet had already begun proceedings to put their children up for adoption.
