Thousands take to streets for Copenhagen demos
Copenhagen streets were flooded with protestors at the weekend marching against Middle East conflict, government policy and the Guantanamo Bay internment camp Thousands gathered in central Copenhagen on Friday to protest against the Israeli incursion into Gaza. The demonstration at...
Thousands gathered in central Copenhagen on Friday to protest against the Israeli incursion into Gaza. The demonstration at City Hall Square was arranged by a number of mosques and organizations, including the Islamic Faith Society.
At least 2,500 people took part in the protest and there were unconfirmed reports that police evacuated a city synagogue during a service over fears for the safety of the worshippers.
The protest remained largely peaceful and participants were regularly reminded that flag-burning is illegal in Denmark. However, TV2 reports that at least four fireworks were launched at police outside the government buildings at Christiansborg.
Around 400 people gathered again at City Hall Square on Saturday to show solidarity with Israelis caught up in the current Middle Eastern conflict and we met with chants from pro-Palestinian supporters.
The noisy pro-Palestinian support developed into an independent demonstration, which soon began to make its way through the streets to Christiansborg, when police arrested 78 people, some as young as 12. The majority of the arrests were considered as a ‘preventative measure’ and by that night 72 had been released. At least 30 of those taken into custody were minors.
Associated unrest was seen in the Nørrebro district where car windscreens were smashed, fireworks fired at a local McDonalds restaurant and police report that a mother and child were forced from their car before it was vandalized.
Three hundred orange-clad demonstrators also marched to the American embassy on Saturday, the seventh anniversary of prisoners being interred at Guantanamo Bay. They were joined by former prisoner Murat Kurnaz who helped them deliver a petition with 21,500 Danish signatures supporting the closure of the American base in Cuba.
A further 5,000 gathered outside Christiansborg to protest against the government’s foreign policy. The organization behind the demo – Danes for a Decent Denmark – was supported by actor Jesper Christensen, who featured as Mr. White in recent Bond films.
Christensen said the government’s policy represented a threat against democracy and a constitutional state.