Three Danes voice fears ahead of anti-Islamism protest

Three people planning to attend a demonstration against Islamism say they are concerned about threats to Danish values and society. DR spoke to them ahead of the protest, organised by the group Det Danske Folk under the slogan “fair and realistic remigration”.

The demonstration comes after unrest and counter-protests overshadowed the group’s previous event in Copenhagen on September 5. Images of a masked man dressed in black giving a Nazi salute circulated widely, and the organisers strongly condemned both Nazism and racism.

The protest is taking place amid heated debate about Danish values, citizenship and deportation.

Michael fears civil war

Michael Gross, a 52-year-old body therapist from Køge, says he considers himself a patriot and will attend the demonstration at Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen.

“Being a nationalist is standing up and fighting for Denmark, just as we do at a football match, where we fight for Denmark to win,” he says. “It is our country, and it must not be overrun.”

Gross says he fears that the spread of Islamism could lead to civil war. He points to unrest in Germany, France and England, while acknowledging he does not know whether the same could happen in Denmark.

He says his opposition is directed at Islamists, not Muslims generally. He says he has attended a Pakistani wedding and has Muslim neighbours with whom he gets along.

“You are welcome to have your religion if you live by it without involving the rest of us,” he says. He argues that people should distinguish between Muslims and Islamists, and says extremists who put the Quran above the Danish constitution do not belong in the country. Asked what should happen to those born and raised in Denmark, he says the decision is for politicians.

Anders travelled from Frederikshavn

Anders Kildeborg, a long-distance truck driver, is making the journey from Frederikshavn to attend the protest. He says politicians are not listening to the public and that people must speak up to protect their values and cultural heritage.

Kildeborg describes Denmark as a Christian country, while saying people should be free to believe and think what they want. He says he enjoys travelling to Turkey and respects its customs and religion, adding that he does not want to change how people there live.

He opposes gender-separated swimming, halal meat in childcare institutions and calls to prayer outside mosques. Kildeborg says he previously lived in Tingbjerg, where Statistics Denmark puts the share of non-Western immigrants and their descendants at 65 per cent. Through his work, including at a pizzeria, he says he has made close friends with people of Muslim backgrounds.

“I don’t think Muslims in general are the problem. It is a smaller core that causes problems, while my impression is that the rest genuinely want to be an integrated part of society,” he says. He argues that people who put sharia above the constitution or commit serious crimes should be dealt with, and that foreign nationals convicted of crimes should be deported if they do not have Danish citizenship.

Jonna fears a call for jihad

Jonna Svane, a 63-year-old pensioner from Thy, is travelling to Copenhagen for the demonstration. She says she is particularly concerned about extreme interpretations of Islam in Europe and fears “the day when jihad is shouted”.