Today marks 25 years since Benjamin Hermansen was murdered by neo-Nazis in Oslo, Norway.
His brutal killing shocked an entire nation and forced Norway to confront a painful truth: racism was not something happening elsewhere—it was deeply present in our own society.

For years, many people looked away while neo-Nazi groups were allowed to grow, spread hate, and carry out violent attacks with little consequence. That silence had devastating results. In the end, an innocent child was murdered for one reason only: the color of his skin.

Benjamin’s murder affected me deeply. I remember feeling overwhelming anger—anger that anyone could do something so cruel, so inhuman, to a child. That anger has never fully left me.

In 2021, the Benjamin Hermansen Foundation reached out and asked if I would create a special issue of The Urban Legend about Benjamin—one that could speak to a new generation while also addressing racism head-on. I said yes without hesitation. This would become the foundation’s final project before it was formally dismantled, a decision made at the request of Benjamin’s mother, Marit.

Working on this issue was emotionally heavy. I felt sadness, anger, and pain—but also determination. Determination to create something meaningful. Determination to ensure that Benjamin’s story would live on. And determination to take an even stronger stand against hate and racism.

This was not fiction. This was a real event. A brutal murder. A real child whose life was taken simply because of his skin color. That reality made the work incredibly difficult—but also absolutely necessary.

The process took months. It required deep research: listening to podcasts, watching interviews, reading court documents, and speaking directly with people who knew Benjamin. I also spoke with Hadi, who was with Benjamin the night he was killed. Hadi survived. He took me to the crime scene and walked me through everything that happened, step by step. Hearing his story was hard to digest—but it strengthened my resolve to tell this story with honesty and respect.

In this issue, I also honor the memories of Eugene Ejike Obiora, Arve Beheim Karlsen, and Johanne Zhangjia Ihle-Hansen—all innocent lives lost as a result of racism and hatred.

We remember them.
We say their names.
And we continue the fight against hate.

Rest in peace.