A lack of police staffing during the busy summer ahead has led to an unusual changing of the guard at the US Embassy in Oslo. From last week until at least the middle of August, soldiers from Norway’s royal guards will also be on duty at the embassy, and another undisclosed location.
Oslo Police Chief Ida Melbo Øystese was on hand when the first royal guards went on duty at the embassy that’s close to the guards’ own home base at Huseby, outside the city center. All royal guards stepping in have been granted limited police authority during the course of their duty, which will also allow them to physically restrain any intruders.
The situation has sparked controversy in Norway, since only police have the right to resort to any violence against the civilian population during peacetime. Oslo Mayor Eirik Lae Solberg of the Conservative Party criticized Norway’s minority Labour Party government for failing to increase the state police’s budget in Oslo and elsewhere.
It’s also the first time military personnel have been granted police authority since the terrorist attack on Norway in 2011. The recent emphasis on improved defense capability, however, has led to so-called “total defense” exercises that include both the military and police.
The US Embassy in Oslo was itself the target of a a recent attack that didn’t result in any major damage. The embassy remains without an ambassador and has been led by its interim Chargé d’Affaires, career diplomat Eric Meyer, since August 2024.
NewsinEnglish.no staff
