#OpenStockholm trends as Swedes band together in wake of truck attack
As emergency services scramble to deal with the aftermath of Friday’s suspected terror attack in Stockholm, people living in the Swedish capital have taken to Twitter to offer help to those stranded or afraid.
In the hours following the attack, #OpenStockholm quickly began trending on the social network, with Swedes banding together after a truck drove into pedestrians on a Stockholm street leaving four dead and 15 injured.
Once again terror shows its ugly face, but here we are, spreading the love. We are Swedes, We are not afraid #openstockholm#stockholmpic.twitter.com/VAuTU3fgus
— Zhoot (@ZhootSe) April 7, 2017
This is Stockholm: sticking together after tragdy. Stranded strangers are welcome in Stockholm houses. #openstockholmhttps://t.co/p7jp8tWitH
— Ines Coppoolse (@InesCoppoolse) April 7, 2017
#OpenStockholm encourages people stranded after the attack to ask for help, whether they need a place to stay, a quick bite to eat, a simple chat or a lift home.
In the hours after the attack the hashtag generated over 18,000 tweets as Swedes pulled together in a stunning outpouring of solidarity.
This is Sweden at its best!!! The local ferry went all the way to town to take people home!!! #openstockholmpic.twitter.com/1lB9zn2LJk
— Ivana Kildsgaard (@IvanaKildsgaard) April 7, 2017
Just in case anyone needs a place to stay because of the travel chaos, we're in downtown #Stockholm and our door is open. #OpenStockholm
— David Abergel (@David_Abergel) April 7, 2017
The hashtag mirrors a previous hashtag #PorteOuverte (open door) which began trending in Paris following the devastating terror attacks that took place in November 2015.
The fatal explosion in Russia’s St. Petersburg Metro on Monday also brought out the best in people. As the central part of the city plunged into turmoil, with the entire subway system being shut down following the terrorist attack, taxi companies and car-owners offered free rides to stranded commuters, as the hashtag #домой (home) quickly dominated social media.
READ MORE: Trust in humanity restored: How St. Petersburg united in face of terrorism