Danish politicians reported to police by wolf advocacy group

A Danish wolf advocacy group has filed police reports against four members of parliament from the Danish People’s Party (Dansk Folkeparti) over Facebook posts it claims incite illegal hunting of a protected species, DR reports.

The group, Ulvetid (Wolf Time), which describes itself as “wolf enthusiasts,” submitted complaints after the politicians posted an image of a wolf—or a pony killed by a wolf near Egtved—with the caption “shoot the wolf.” The group’s chairman, Ole Pedersen, told DR the posts violate Section 136 of Denmark’s criminal code, which prohibits public incitement to commit a crime.

“When someone explicitly writes ‘shoot the wolf,’ they’ve crossed a line in our view,” Pedersen said. “We don’t think it’s wrong to report this to the police. We want this nonsense stopped—people encouraging the shooting of a protected animal.”

One of the accused, MP Rune Bønnelykke, acknowledged the report but denied the post was a call to break the law. “It’s an invitation to engage in this debate and understand what’s happening,” he said. “It’s not an incitement to violate the law—it’s about sparking discussion so we can regulate the wolf population.”

Fellow MP Søren Boel Olesen, also reported, called the post “a sharp political statement” to push for wolf management. “We’re not advocating vigilante action,” he said. “We want rules that ensure safety in areas with wolves. People should move freely without fear.”

Legal experts note prosecutions under Section 136 are rare. Nicolaj Sivan Holst, a criminal law professor at Aarhus University, explained that convictions require public incitement to a specific crime—not abstract calls to defy laws—and must balance free speech concerns. “The offence can’t be so vague that it’s just telling people to ignore the law in general,” he said.

The Danish People’s Party’s political spokesperson, Peter Kofod, stated the party “does not encourage anyone to break the law or take matters into their own hands. We advocate for regulations that create safety in wolf areas—problem wolves must be managed.”

DR has sought comment from the remaining reported politicians.